Abstract
Introduction: Dysphagia is a common side effect after botulinum toxin injections for cervical dystonia, with an incidence of 10-40%, depending upon the study and dose used. Methods: Our study consisted of 5 preselected women who met criteria for cervical dystonia and subsequent dysphagia after electromyography (EMG)-guided injections. Injections were performed with ultrasound (US) imaging, and the effects on swallowing were examined. Separately, sternocleidomastoid (SCM) thickness in healthy controls and treated patients was measured. Results: There were 34 episodes of dysphagia over 98 injection sessions using EMG guidance for a cumulative rate of 34.7%. Using US plus EMG guidance, there was 0% dysphagia across 27 injection sessions. SCM thickness was <1.1 cm. Conclusion: US combined with EMG guidance eliminated recurrent dysphagia after botulinum toxin treatment, possibly by keeping the injectate within the SCM.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 535-539 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Muscle and Nerve |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2012 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Physiology
- Clinical Neurology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Physiology (medical)