Analysis of Equilibriun Function in Cochlear Implant Patients

Abstract

An equilibrium test battery was performed in 28 patients who had received cochlear implants in our institute in the last 4 years. A total of 13 patients complained of dizziness after the operation. They were divided into three groups according to the time course of dizziness; dizziness occurring immediately after the operation and disappeared within two weeks (immediate type); lasting more than two weeks in 2 patients (prolonged type); in 4 patients it occurred more than one month after the operation (late onset type). Patients who had no dizziness after the operation had a lower response to caloric testing than did those who experienced dizziness. The cause of dizziness was judged to be due to a peripheral lesion in the immediate and prolonged groups, but in only 1 patient of the late onset group.