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Limb dystonia following electrical injury
D Tarsy1, L Sudarsky, M E Charness
1Department of Neurology, Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Summary
Electrical injuries can cause limb dystonia, a rare condition affecting movement and sensation. This study reports three cases of limb dystonia following upper extremity electrical trauma, with limited treatment response.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Traumatology
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Electrical injuries to extremities can lead to various neurological deficits including paralysis, muscle atrophy, sensory loss, causalgia, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD).
- Limb dystonia is a rare movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, typically associated with central nervous system trauma, but its occurrence following peripheral electrical injury is seldom documented.
Observation:
- This study presents three cases of patients who developed limb dystonia after sustaining an electrical injury to their upper extremity.
- Two of these patients also experienced severe pain and sensory disturbances, while one exhibited symptoms consistent with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD).
Findings:
- The three patients who developed limb dystonia following electrical trauma to the upper extremity showed limited improvement.
- Two patients received botulinum toxin injections, which did not yield significant functional benefits for their dystonia.
Implications:
- The development of limb dystonia after peripheral electrical trauma suggests potential central nervous system involvement.
- The underlying mechanism may involve neuroplastic changes and synaptic reorganization within the central nervous system, potentially in the spinal cord, following peripheral nerve injury.