Ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders

OBJECTIVE: To observe the ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) and the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) in patients with vestibular diseases.

METHOD: From March, 2011 to March, 2012, 13 patients (14 ears) with peripheral vestibular diseases were recruited. Each patient underwent conventional oVEMP and cVEMP examinations elicited by intensive air conducted sound (short tone burst, 500 Hz) in bilateral ears.

RESULT: Thirteen cases (14 ears) were included in this study. They were 3 cases (3 ears) with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, 3 cases (4 ears) with acoustic neuroma, 1 case (1 ear) with VII and VIII cranial nerve trauma after head injury, 2 cases (2 ears) with vestibular neuritis, 3 cases (3 ears) with Meniere's disease, and Icase (1 ear) with unilateral hypoplasia of the internal auditory canal. Altogether, oVEMP could be elicited in only 2 ears (14. 3%) and cVEMP were found abnormal in 11 ears (78. 6%).

CONCLUSION: The otolithic vestibular end organs and their input pathways could be examined by cVEMP and oVEMP examinations in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.