09-12, 11:45–12:45 (Europe/Istanbul), Equlibirium 1
Diagnostic Challenges panel discussion general
This proposal presents a series of real-life clinical cases that illustrate common diagnostic errors and challenges encountered in neurotology. Despite major advances in vestibular testing and imaging, clinicians still face significant difficulties in accurately differentiating between peripheral and central causes of vertigo, as well as functional and psychogenic components. The cases selected reflect typical pitfalls seen in everyday clinical practice, such as misdiagnosis of vestibular migraine as Menière’s disease, misinterpretation of pseudospontaneous nystagmus in cupulolithiasis-type BPPV, and diagnostic complexity in multicanal BPPV with overlapping otolithic debris. Additionally, we explore a case of delayed compensation in vestibular neuritis despite early and correct treatment, suggesting the possibility of hidden pathophysiological factors.
Through this structured case-based approach, we aim to emphasize the importance of systematic clinical reasoning, detailed positional testing, and reassessment in patients who do not follow the expected recovery pattern. These cases serve not only as learning tools, but also as a starting point for discussing broader diagnostic strategies in neurotology, encouraging clinicians to adopt a flexible and integrative perspective
To raise awareness about frequent diagnostic pitfalls in neurotology and to promote structured clinical reasoning through illustrative case analysis, aiming to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes
Dr. Yüksel Aslıer is Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Istanbul Atlas Medical School and she is the Director of the Vestibular and Balance Disorders Unit at Bursa Doruk Nilüfer Hospital, where she maintains a full-time clinical practice.
After graduating from Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Nesibe G. Yüksel Aslıer completed her residency training at Dokuz Eylül University in Department of Otorhinolaryngology in 2015. She received Turkish Board of Otorhinolaryngology certificate of competence in 2019. Between 2020 and 2021, she completed training at the Otology and Neurotology School. She got Associate Professorship in 2021. She completed a Master of Science degree in Biostatistics in 2025.
Dr. Yüksel Aslıer has participated in numerous national and international courses and conferences and has served multiple times as an observer physician in the United States. She has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and conference presentations published in national and international journals, and her work has been widely cited. She also serves in various roles, including advisory board member, section editor, and reviewer for several academic journals.
Dr. Nesibe G. Yüksel Aslıer is fluent in English and has intermediate proficiency in German. She is married and a mother of three children.
I am an Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology at Izmir Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine. My main areas of interest are otology, neurotology, and vestibular disorders. I have been involved in both clinical practice and academic research in these fields, and I continue to participate in national and international scientific meetings and publications.
I am a board-certified ENT specialist with a subspecialization in neurotology and ongoing training in Positive Psychotherapy (currently in my third year). I currently practice at Nova Explorări ORL Clinic in Cluj-Napoca, where I integrate advanced vestibular diagnostics with a patient-centered and holistic clinical approach. My primary areas of focus include vertigo, imbalance, tinnitus, and hearing disorders, particularly within the context of somato-psychic interaction.
I have approximately 10 years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular patients and have completed numerous advanced training courses in this field. Among the most relevant, I would mention the masterclass led by Prof. Michael Strupp in Munich, the vestibular rehabilitation training with Prof. Mans Magnusson in Copenhagen, the comprehensive hands-on course with Prof. Shrinivas, the VEMP workshop with Prof. Eleftherios Papathanasiou, and the AVISA International Vestibular Diploma program. These trainings have helped me consolidate both my theoretical knowledge and my practical skills in managing peripheral, central, and functional vestibular disorders.
I have also served as a lecturer within the AVISA program, delivering a course on vestibular migraine, as well as at the IFOS World Congress in Dubai, where I co-led a workshop on vestibular rehabilitation in chronic bilateral vestibulopathies. In 2024, I presented a clinical poster on Chiari malformation at the Bárány Society Meeting. Additionally, I have given numerous national presentations and actively contribute to the Romanian Society for Vertigo, Tinnitus, and Hearing Loss, of which I am a founding member.
Over the past three years, I have increasingly focused on Positive Psychotherapy, aiming to better understand how personality traits and psycho-emotional background influence both the etiology and the perception of vertigo-related symptoms. This integrative perspective is becoming a central part of my approach to complex vestibular patients.
Frederik Kragerud Goplen is an otorhinolaryngologist, ear- and general ENT-surgeon at Haukeland University Hospital and University of Bergen with special clinical and research interest in otology, neurotology, neurosurgery, diving and hyperbaric medicine.