Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and intravestibular intralabyrinthine schwannomas

Massimo Ralli, MD, PhD; Giuseppe Nola, MD; Massimo Fusconi, MD; Luca Sparvoli, MD; Giovanni Ralli, MD

Abstract

Intravestibular intralabyrinthine schwannomas (ILSs) are uncommon benign tumors that arise from the saccular, utricular, and lateral and superior ampullary nerves. According to the literature, there is an average delay of 8 years between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. The diagnosis is based on an audiovestibular examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We describe a case of intravestibular ILS in which we included the ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) test in the diagnostic workup. The oVEMPs test is a relatively new neurophysiologic diagnostic modality that evaluates the superior vestibular pathway and the ascending contralateral pathway through the vestibulo-ocular reflex. In our case, a 65-year-old man presented with progressive right-sided sensorineural hearing loss, dizziness, and tinnitus and fullness in his right ear. Audiovestibular examination and MRI detected an intravestibular ILS on the right. We found that oVEMPs were absent on the contralateral side, which contributed to the diagnostic process. The detection of oVEMPs can provide detailed information on the functionality of the macula of the utricle and the lateral and superior ampullary nerves, with a precise identification of the affected area. Based on our findings, we discuss the role of oVEMPs in the diagnosis of an intravestibular ILS.

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