Intérêt du traitement par exercices rotatoires chez les patients atteints de syndrome de Ménière, méthode utilisée au service d'ORL des cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc.

OBJECTIVE: To date, the effectiveness of balanced rehabilitation for patients with Meniere's syndrome has not been unanimously acknowledged by all physicians and physiotherapists. The purpose of this study is to assess the therapeutic efficacy of rotational exercises in the treatment of disequilibrium for patients with unilateral Meniere's syndrome. METHODOLOGY: Rotational stimuli were used to symmetrize and reduce postrotatory nystagmic response. Three reference sources were used to assess the efficacy of this management: vestibulospinal function tests: pre- and post-treatment results at the Romberg test, the Unterberger-Fukuda stepping test, the Babinski-Weil test, and gait testing with eyes closed; rotational tests: pre- and post-treatment results; and the self-perceived impact of vertigo: assessed by the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and a scale based on the guidelines of the Japanese Society of Equilibrium Research (JSER, 1993). The JSER scale provides quantitative vertigo evaluation; the DHI reflects the patient's perceptual evaluation of handicap. RESULTS: Patients required 11 sessions (mean value) to attain subjective improvement. Of the 23 patients, only seven required optokinetic stimulation (mean requirement: three sessions). Rotational tests and dynamic tests of the vestibulospinal function improved. The DHI and JSER results show that patients' post-rehabilitation perceptual evaluation significantly improved. CONCLUSION: The objective and subjective measures of disequilibrium in patients with unilateral Meniere's syndrome were significantly improved.

• [Handle]http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/9675
• [DOI]https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annrmp.2003.05.001
• [Pubmed]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14642673