Disequilibrium and its management in elderly patients.

Dizziness, a frequent occurrence in the elderly, carries substantial health and quality-of-life consequences for patients. Disequilibrium of the elderly refers to dizziness or ataxia (or both) without apparent localizing signs and is typically attributed to the aging process.In many cases, disequilibrium is multifactorial and worsened or triggered by multiple medications and iatrogenicity.

[Treatment failures in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Role of vestibular rehabilitation].

Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic maneuvers performed for BPPV patients. The study will also evaluate the efficacy of complementary exercises for vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in BPPV, presenting with persistent vertigo or disequilibrium after performing therapeutic maneuvers.

Patients And Methods: 175 patients from both sexes, were included in this analysis.

Stabilization of the head position in pitch plane: study of imbalance during a multisegment posturography examination.

Our purpose was to evaluate head stabilization in pitch plane in patients with different kinds of imbalance when standing over firm and movable surfaces. We used the STATITEST (Société Mumedia, Belgium), a multisegment platform for recording and computing postural adjustments at different body levels. We detected these data by two sensors placed on the head and hip of each subject in four situations: eyes open on a firm surface (EOFS); eyes closed on a firm surface (ECFS); eyes open on a movable surface (EOMS); and eyes closed on a movable surface (ECMS).

[Endovascular surgery: recanalization technics and stent(s)].

Endovascular surgery has experimented a great development in the last years owing to the technologic advances in fields as mechanical and Laser recanalization technics, low profile catheters, Stents and diagnostic image. In a review work we discuss the role of this therapeutic modality in the treatment of vascular disease. To the vascular surgeon it becomes essential to be prepared to perform this procedures; to the general practitioner it becomes important to know about endovascular surgery potentialities.

[Neodymium--Yag laser in the recanalization of arterial occlusions].

Failure of the guide-wire to recanalize some arterial total occlusion does not preclude balloon angioplasty. Nowadays there are recanalization devices such as the mechanical atherectomy and Lasers. The following report describes the successful use of the Nd: YG Laser in the recanalization of a common iliac artery total occlusion in a patient with claudication, rendering possible balloon angioplasty and a Palmaz Stent implantation, which is the first case performed in our country.

[The role of stents in endovascular surgery].

Stent appears as the most recent and revolutionary acquisition in Endovascular Surgery. It represents the percutaneous permanent placement of a Vascular prosthesis. We discuss its background and evolution, the several types as well as some of its characteristics as biocompatibility, trombogenicity and biomechanics.