Gans repositioning maneuver for the posterior canal BPPV patients: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background and objectives: BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) is a syndrome marked by brief bouts of vertigo accompanied by rapid changes in head position. Recent ongoing therapeutic approaches used are vestibular rehabilitation exercises and physical maneuvers like the Epley maneuver, Semont maneuver. Gans repositioning maneuver (GRM) is a new hybrid maneuver, consisting of safe and comfortable series of postures that can be conveniently applied on patients with any spinal pathology or even in elderly. Methods: Randomized controlled/clinical trials of the Gans maneuver were identified. The proportion of patients who improved as a result of each intervention was assessed, as well as the conversion of a ‘positive’ Dix–Hallpike test to a ‘negative’ Dix–Hallpike test. Results: Improvement was seen in almost all patients with the Gans maneuver and the Epley Maneuver in three trials with the pooled estimate for random effect model is 1.12 [0.87; 1.43: 100%]. There were no significant side effects from the treatment. Discussion: This study shows that the Gans maneuver is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from posterior canal BPPV. Trial registration: The review is registered in Prospero with no. CRD42021234100. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.