[The treatment of severe peripheral vertigo by the intracranial ligation of the vestibular portion of the 8th nerve].

Eight patients with severe peripheral vestibular vertigo refractory to other drug and surgical treatments underwent intracranial ligation of the vestibular nerve VIII portion. All the patients had been operated on the middle and internal ears many times (from 12 to 15 operations) for chronic purulent otitis (5 patients), cholesteatomas, 2-3 attempts had been made to destruct the labyrinth; shunting of the endolymphatic sac was made 2-3 times in patients with Meniere's disease. In all the patients, severe peripheral vestibular syndrome was associated with central nervous disease, mainly formations of the cerebellopontile angle due to secondary arachnoiditis. After ligation of the vestibular nerve VIII portion, good results were achieved in 7 out of the 8 patients, but one had a satisfactory effect. The paper shows indications and contraindications for intracranial ligation of the vestibular nerve VIII portion. It also emphasizes that the operation is effective, but it should be effected by very strict and limited indications when all other treatments are ineffective and vertigo is critical.