Incidence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in Head Injury Patients

Background: Traumatic brain injury is a common secondary cause of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo(BPPV).

Objective: To determine the incidence and clinical profile of patients with BPPV in mild and moderate head injury.

Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study done in patients admitted with mild and moderate head injury who developed BPPV from January 2020 to March 2020 in a tertiary care hospital of South India. Demographic and clinical parameters were noted and were treated with canalith repositioning procedures.

Results: Among 42 patients admitted with mild and moderate head injury, 9(21.4%) were diagnosed with BPPV in the follow up. The male female ratio was 2.5:1. The mean age was 44 ±21.4years.Two wheeler accidents contributed to nearly half of (55.6%) traumatic BPPV. Posterior canal was commonly involved in 7(77.8%) followed by horizontal in 2 (22.2%).The type of head injury was mild in 7 (77.8%) and moderate in 2 (22.2%) in traumatic BPPV patients. 5 (55.6%) patients with BPPV had abnormal findings in neuroimaging. 4 (44.4%) patients developed recurrent BPPV in our cohort.

Conclusion: The incidence of traumatic BPPV was 21.4% in our study. Road traffic accidents due to two wheeler accidents were the common mode of head trauma. Posterior canal was commonly involved in three fourth of cases. Recurrence of vertigo was documented in 4 (44.4%).