August 14, 2014--Applying the latest diagnostic and therapeutic protocols in
treating notoriously difficult cases, such as dizziness or other conditions
which cause imbalances, led to the inauguration of the new AUBMC Balance
Center, the first of its kind in Lebanon, on August 14, 2014. The Balance
Center at AUBMC, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, plays an
important role in accomplishing the AUBMC 2020 vision by delivering excellence
in patient-centered care through accurate testing of areas, namely the inner
ear, which were considered unknown until recently. Dr. Marc Bassim, Head of the
Balance Center and Assistant Professor of Clinical Specialty, explained in the
opening ceremony that “the center represents a state-of-the-art facility where
the latest technology is at the service of a dedicated, enthusiastic, and
focused multidisciplinary team, with one and only one aim, improving our patients’
health and quality of life.”
The uniqueness of the center is embedded in its ability to
cater for almost all dizzy patients through adequately testing the different
systems that could contribute to any imbalance “giving a very comprehensive
look at the patient’s motor adaptation,” added Dr. Bassim.
Three machines have been purchased to contribute in the
assessment of patients who visit the center based on their specialized doctor’s
referral. These are:
1-The Video-nystagmography
(VNG) machine which allows the evaluation of the vestibular function of the
inner ear and differentiation between central and peripheral etiologies thus
having an insight into central components of dizziness.
2-The Rotary chair which provides complimentary
information and allows the detection of lesions that could be potentially
missed by the VNG.
3-Vestibular evoked myogenic
potentials, a unique assessment platform, which is the first of its kind in the
Middle East. Such an assessment allows for a more accurate testing of the inner
ear, which will be extremely helpful in the patient with vague, possibly
multi-casual dizziness.
In addition to the above equipment, the Balance Center
offers the Equitest Computerized Dynamic Posturography which detects
differences between the contributions of the different systems that could
influence a person’s balance and is of utmost importance in the rehabilitation
of patients after sports injuries, back or lower extremity problems, or
post-surgical patients.
The center was conceived to
be a broad, inclusive center which serves a dual purpose in diagnosis and
treatment, a fact which proves its exceptionality. The combined knowledge and
expertise of the Balance Center team of physicians and nurses and “their hungry
desire to be the leaders in the field of vestibular exploration” as Clinical
Professor, Dr. Zaytoun stated, will help a wide array of patients find answers
to many if not most balance problems.
