A new decade of surgery for vertigo.

Surgery for vertigo exemplifies the importance of an old adage: select the right procedure for the right patient at the right time. Preoperative assessment must be thorough. The diagnosis must be accurate. The operation must be therapeutically the most effective and technically the least difficult. the timing of the operation must be ideal after intensive medical management has failed to control the disease. When established guidelines area followed, the results usually are very acceptable and the risks are minimal.