A new denervation procedure for idiopathic cervical dystonia

The Bertrand selective peripheral denervation for cervical dystonia (CD) has been well described, and its effectiveness and safety are established. It is, however, always accompanied by postoperative sensory loss in the C-2 region. Intraoperative bleeding from epidural venous plexuses may also be problematic. The authors developed a new denervation procedure with which to avoid such complications and compared the surgery-related results with those of the traditional Bertrand operation.

The new procedure consists of intradural rhizotomy of the anterior C-1 and C-2 nerve roots, extradural peripheral ramisectomy from C-3 to C-6, and selective section of peripheral branches of the accessory nerve to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. This procedure was performed in 30 patients (Group A). The results of this procedure were compared with those obtained in a matched group of 31 patients in the authors' series who underwent Bertrand denervation (Group B). Changes of CD rating score at 6-month follow up did not differ between the two groups. In one patient in Group A a C-2 sensory deficit was found, whereas C-2 sensory deficits were demonstrated in all the patients in Group B. No patients in Group A and four patients in Group B experienced occipital neuralgia. The operative time was significantly shorter in Group A. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 115 +/- 30 ml (+/- standard deviation) in Group A and 233 +/- 65 ml in Group B (p < 0.005).

Although symptomatic improvement is the same after the Bertrand operation, the authors' new procedure for CD was associated with a lower incidence of complications and significant decrease of intraoperative blood loss.