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How to perform the Anterior Semont Maneuver

By Interacoustics

Treatment of the anterior canal

Female patient sat upright on examination table with her legs dangling off the edge of the table. Male clinician stood in front of her, turning her head 45 degrees toward the left. Male clinician holding female patient in a side-lying position, with the patient's head facing toward the floor. Female patient lying on her right side on examination table with her legs dangling off the edge of the table. Male clinician stood beside her, turning her head 45 degrees toward the left.
Turn the head 45 degrees to the affected side. Rapidly move into side-lying position on the affected side. Rapidly move to patients unaffected side with the nose 45º upward

 

Helpful hints

  • Before performing any form of positioning maneuver, it is important to ascertain whether the patient has current or past injuries of the neck or spine
  • If any neurological symptoms occur during the execution of positioning maneuvers, discontinue the procedure IMMEDIATELY and refer for a neurological evaluation. These symptoms might include, blurred vision, numbness, weakness of the arms or legs or
  • The patient should experience vertigo when moved to the face-down position. If not, it is often useful to perform a slight headshake in an effort to loosen otolithic

 

Procedure

  1. Begin with the patient sitting on the examination table, facing the examiner, with the patient's head turned toward the affected side at a 45º angle
  2. Guide the patient into a side-lying position on the affected side. (This should be a rapid movement and the patient's nose should be pointing)
  3. Hold this position for 2-3 minutes
  4. While maintaining the 45º head position, guide the patient in a continuous motion from side-lying on the affected side to side-lying on the unaffected (The patient's nose should be pointing upward)
  5. Hold this position for 3-5 minutes
  6. Guide the patient back into a sitting position

 

References

  • Semont, Freyss G, Vitte E. Curing the BPPV with a liberative maneuver. Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 1998;42:290-3
  • Hughes CA, Proctor Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Laryngoscope. 1997;107:607-613

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Interacoustics

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