Treatment for BPPV, anterior canal, left side, Kim maneuver

By Marcello Cherchi, MD PhD

The maneuver developed by Dr. Yoon Kyung Kim and colleagues (Kim et al. 2005) is used for treatment of the anterior canal. It is used less commonly than the modified (reverse) Semont maneuver.

The Figure below, from Kim and colleagues (Kim et al. 2005), shows the Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing on the patient’s left side.

Figure: Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. From Kim et al. (2005).
Figure: Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. From Kim et al. (2005).

The following description of the Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV is adapted from Kim and colleagues (Kim et al. 2005):

  1. The patient’s head is turned 45 degrees toward the patient’s right (unaffected) side.
  2. The patient’s trunk is lowered to a supine position, with the patient’s head hanging 30 degrees below the edge of the bed, and maintains this position for 2 minutes.
  3. The patient’s head is elevated to a supine position while the head remains turned 45 degrees to the patient’s right (unaffected) side, and maintains this position for 1 minute.
  4. The patient is returned to a sitting position, and the chin is tilted 30 degrees down.

The Figure below is another depiction of the Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing at the patient’s right side.

Figure: Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing at the patient’s right side. From https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6aryz6c (accessed 2/23/2025).
Figure: Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing at the patient’s right side. From https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6aryz6c (accessed 2/23/2025).

The Figure below, from Korres and colleagues (Korres et al. 2010), shows the Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing at the head of the patient’s bed.

Figure: Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing at the head of the patient’s bed. From Korres et al. (Korres et al. 2010).
Figure: Kim maneuver for treating left-sided anterior canal BPPV. The perspective is from an examiner standing at the head of the patient’s bed. From Korres et al. (Korres et al. 2010).

Kim maneuver, left anterior canal, videos

The Kim maneuver has been studied in a prospective trial with no control group (Kim et al. 2005).

References

Kim YK, Shin JE, Chung JW (2005) The effect of canalith repositioning for anterior semicircular canal canalithiasis. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec 67: 56-60. doi: 10.1159/000084336

Korres S, Riga M, Sandris V, Danielides V, Sismanis A (2010) Canalithiasis of the anterior semicircular canal (ASC): treatment options based on the possible underlying pathogenetic mechanisms. Int J Audiol 49: 606-12. doi: 10.3109/14992021003753490

Page first published on February 24, 2025. Page last updated on April 9, 2025

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