The Effects of Vestibular Implants and Other Existing Treatment Options of Individuals with Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction: A Review.

Vestibular dysfunction (VD) is an experience that is shared by nearly 35% of Americans above the age of 40 (nearly 69 million). This percentage increases to 80% when looking at the population of individuals over the age of 80. VD can have tremendously negative health outcomes for patients. Improper vestibular function can result in a loss of balance and patients often cite vertigo as a common symptom, which is often associated with dramatically reduced quality of life. Falls are another common clinically significant outcome of VD and place a huge social and financial burden on the patient and healthcare system. Although the pathophysiology and treatment options for certain vestibular disorders have been well researched, disorders such as bilateral vestibular dysfunction (BVD), have had traditionally ineffective treatment options. That said, novel therapeutics such as vestibular implants (VIs) have been recently tested and showed positive health outcomes for patients with BVD. This review aims to investigate the health outcomes of patients who have received VIs, as well as discuss the limitations and existing treatment options.