Abstract

Mal de dbarquement syndrome refers to the prolonged sensation of rocking and swaying that is experienced on return to land following a sea voyage or an air travel. We report 3 patients who developed mal de dbarquement syndrome after a boat-trip. Apogeotropic nystagmus during head turning in supine position was the only neuro-otologic finding in one patient. The other 2 patients showed normal neurologic and neuro-otologic findings. The symptom had resolved over a week to a month spontaneously. A history of boat trip or air travel should be sought in patients complaining of chronic imbalance. Mal de dbarquement syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of direction-changing positional nystagmus, especially when patients do not complain of vertigo with the nystagmus.