[Botulinum toxin treatment of patients with oromandibular dystonia]

Oromandibular dystonia (OMD) is a frequently disabling focal dystonia, which may be treated with injections of botulinum toxin in the affected muscles. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the population, effect and side-effects of patients treated in Denmark during a nine year period.

We evaluated all 45 consecutive patients treated with quantitative EMG guided injections of botulinum toxin for OMD.

The OMD symptoms varied but were most often mixed symptoms (n = 13), jaw closing (n = 11) and jaw opening (n = 7). Thirty-two patients (71%) had other focal or generalised dystonia, and in 24 the additional dystonia were also treated with botulinum toxin. The 45 patients had a total of 277 treatments (mean 6.2 treatments pr. patient), each including one to six muscles. Marked effect was observed or experienced after 193 (70%) treatments, and 33 patients (73%) experienced at least one effective treatment. Side-effects occurred after 35 treatments (13%) experienced by a total of 16 patients (35.6%), most frequently as transient mild dysphagia.

The study shows that botulinum toxin treatment of OMD, guided by quantitative EMG, is safe and effective.