Observations on Otolithic Function in Bilateral Caloric Dysfunction

Abstract

Ten patients with bilateral caloric dysfunction were studied in a tilt chair for the otolithic function test.
In 4 cases of bilateral vestibular neuronitis and 2 cases of bilateral labyrinthitis (postoperative), the nystagmus response was clearly although they were unresponsive bilaterally to caloric and rotational stimuli.
One patient with bilateral damage after streptomycin therapy, 2 with a history of head trauma and one with syphilis of the labyrinth were unresponsive to tile stimulation. These patients had real bilateral “dead” labyrinths. The results of the tilt chair test suggest that bilateral caloric dysfunction involves not only the vestibular nerve and semicircular canal systems but also the otolith organ system.