Otoneurological evaluation: definitions and scientific evidence of bedside assessment and complementary exams. Outcomes of the II Brazilian Forum of Otoneurology.

OBJECTIVE

To gather the technical definitions, diagnostic accuracy and scientific evidence of otoneurological exams in a succinct, easily accessible document, so that decision-making is as effective as possible.

METHOD

This paper was the results of the II Forum of Otoneurology, held on May 27, 2018, in Sao Paulo, during the III Combined Meeting + Four Otology, as part of the Otoneurology Forums project, undertaken by the Department of Otoneurology of the Brazilian Association of Otorhinolaryngology (ABORL-CCF) since 2017. Each paper gathered here was a literature review written by specialists from all over Brazil, based on the latest practices and scientific evidence related to diagnostic tests in Otoneurology. Each author presented their paper and a debate about it took place among the participants, generating an accepted-by-all interpretation paper after each presentation. Subsequently, the papers were reviewed by representatives of the country's Otoneurology training department for final adjustments and standardization. For each paper presented, ABORL-CCF prepared a recommendation, taking into account existing scientific evidence and the best practices, according to the experts' opinion. Using the full paper, that was published on the website of the Brazilian Association of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, this summarized version was written as a scientific review article.

OUTCOME

The paper is presented as a practical, objective and complete guide on the main tests used to evaluate patients with otoneurological complaints, from bedside physical examinations to the most modern complementary tests done with sophisticated equipment.

CONCLUSION

With this scientific review, the authors hope to aid the organization of the professional's behavior, from the bedside assessment to the choice of assessment methods, including requisitions, accomplishments, and understanding tests and diagnostic procedures.