Nystagmus following Middle Ear Surgery

• Published in: Otology Japan Vol. 14; no. 5; pp. 688 - 692
• Main Authors: Kiyomizu, Kensuke, Toyama, Katsuhiro, Tsuboi, Yasuhiro, Kawano, Hirokazu, Haruta, Atsushi, Okuda, Takumi, Komune, Shizuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Otological Society 2004
• Subjects: middle ear surgery; postoperative nystagmus
• ISSN: 0917-2025; 1884-1457
• DOI: 10.11289/otoljpn1991.14.688

Seventy five patients underwent gaze, positional and positioning nystagmus tests in order to determine the origin of nystagmus after middle ear surgery. Nystagmus after surgery was observed in 44 (59%) out of 75 cases. The rates of detected nystagmus in the positional and positioning nystagmus tests were about twice as much as that in the gaze nystagmus test. Nystagmus before surgery was observed in 22 (28%) out of 75 cases, and nystagmus after surgery was observed in 21 (95%) out of these 22 cases. Nystagmus after surgery was observed in 23 (43%) out of 53 cases in which nystagmus before surgery was not observed. The rates of detected nystagmus after surgery in cases with manipulation of the ossicle or with mastoidectomy used by a surgical drill were higher than those without them. There were some cases when postoperative nystagmus occured due to general or local anesthesia. These results suggest that nystagmus after middle ear surgery could be caused by vestibular irritation due to chronic otitis media, manipulation of the ossicle, vibratory effects of the surgical drill and general and local anesthesia.