1. The comparison between intratympanic gentamicin prehabilitation and postoperative virtual reality exposure to standard vestibular training in patients with vestibular schwannoma.
- Author
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Bonaventurová M, Balatková Z, Červený K, Černý R, Bandúrová V, Koucký V, Peterková L, Fík Z, Komarc M, Mrázková E, Plzák J, and Čada Z
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Middle Aged, Male, Prospective Studies, Adult, Injection, Intratympanic, Anti-Bacterial Agents administration & dosage, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy methods, Preoperative Care methods, Quality of Life, Aged, Treatment Outcome, Vestibular Function Tests, Virtual Reality, Postoperative Care methods, Gentamicins administration & dosage, Neuroma, Acoustic surgery
- Abstract
Objective: Resection of the vestibular schwannoma causes acute peripheral vestibular loss. The process of central compensation starts immediately afterward. The rehabilitation goal is to support this process and restore the quality of life., Materials and Methods: In this prospective single-center study, 67 consecutive patients underwent vestibular schwannoma resection (40 females, mean age 52 ± 12 years). The patients were divided into three groups: the prehabilitation with intratympanic gentamicin group, the virtual reality group (optokinetic stimulation via virtual reality goggles in the first ten days after the surgery), and the control group. All patients were examined with objective methods and completed questionnaires before the prehabilitation, before the surgery, at the hospital discharge, and after three months., Results: Intratympanic gentamicin prehabilitation leads ipsilaterally to a significant aVOR reduction in all semicircular canals (p < 0.050), the increase of the unilateral weakness in air calorics (p = 0.026), and loss of cVEMPs responses (p = 0.017). Prehabilitation and postoperative exposure to virtual reality scenes improved the patient's perception of vertigo problems according to Dizziness Handicap Inventory (p = 0.039 and p = 0.076, respectively). These findings conform with the optokinetic testing results, which showed higher slow phase velocities at higher speeds (40 deg/s) in both targeted groups compared to the control group., Conclusion: Preoperative intratympanic gentamicin positively affects peripheral vestibular function, influencing balance perception after VS resection. In long-term follow-up, prehabilitation and postoperative exposure to virtual reality improve patients' quality of life in the field of vertigo problems., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors have no financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Ethical consideration: A local ethics committee approved the study. It was performed per the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments, with patients giving their informed consent. The trial is registered with clinical study registration number NCT05578560., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2025
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