Washington Man to Have Anti-Vertigo Device Implanted in Head

A Washington state man will become the first person in the world Friday to have an anti-vertigo device implanted in his head.

Scientists from the University of Washington will insert a vestibular prosthesis into the 56-year-old man’s head in a bid to stop the vomiting and dizziness caused by Meniere's disease — a balance disorder characterized by episodes of vertigo and tinnitus.

The device consists of a cochlear implant and processor made from a configuration of electrodes.

The patient wears the processor behind the affected ear and activates it as an attack starts. The processor then wirelessly signals the implant device, which in turn transmits electrical impulses that will attempt to rewire the body’s balance center.

"It's an override. It doesn't change what's happening in the ear, but it eliminates the symptoms while replacing the function of that ear until it recovers," said Dr. James Phillips, one of the doctors who spent four years developing the device.

The disease affects hearing and balance with varying intensity and frequency, but can be extremely debilitating. Its episodic attacks are thought to stem from the rupture of an inner-ear membrane.

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