Caloric Vestibular Test with the Use of Air

Abstract

In a group of 28 test subjects the vestibular caloric test was performed with the aid of two different methods. In the first method the ears were irrigated for 30 sec with water with a temperature of 30 C and 44 C, in the second method the ears were subjected to an airstream with a temperature of 30 C and 44 C and later on with an airstream with a temperature of 20 C and 50 C. The wet method proved to be a significant stronger stimulus than the dry method. The authors conclude that the water irrigation is the method of choice for the caloric test. The dry method is only useful when the wet method is undesirable.