[Paroxysmal vertigo of the lateral canal: proposed treatment method. A proposal of a treatment method].

The etiopathogenesis of benign paroxysmal vertigo (BPV) lies in the accumulation of otoconial or other debris in an abnormal site (the cupola or semicircular canal). The present work proposes a treatment for BPV located in the horizontal semi-circular canal aimed at moving the debris out of the canal. This maneuver involves performing a series of movements with the patient's head so that the debris is moved toward the non ampular end of the canal and, from there, into the utricle. The maneuver is programmed differently according to the variation of the disorder. This method was performed on 18 patients with BPV of the lateral canal and compared with the use of two other techniques and with another group of untreated controls. The results showed a high percentage of recovery (83%), comparable to that achieved with other techniques found in the literature, and significantly higher than the percentage of spontaneous healing.