Objectives: The aim of our study is to evaluate the influence of patient risk factors and the length of surgical time on the onset of BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) and suggest surgical and clinical strategies to prevent this rare complication.
Method: Our retrospective study analyzes that, in 2 years, 281 patients, divided into three groups, underwent wisdom teeth extraction, sinus lift elevation and orthognathic surgery, at the Oral and Maxillofacial Department of the University of Naples "Federico II."
Results: Twenty-one patients presented postoperative BPPV. Some comorbidities, like dyslipidemia, high cholesterol levels, vascular problems, endocrinological disorders, perimenopausal age, female gender, cranial trauma, neurologic disorders, migraine, hypovitaminosis D, autoimmune disease, flogosis of inner ear, can be risk factors to the occurrence of postoperative vertigo.
Conclusion: Our statistical analysis revealed a relationship between surgical time and comorbidity and onset of vertigo for each group of patients.
Keywords: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo; Etiology; Oral and maxillofacial surgery; Surgical trauma.
© The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India 2019.