[Botulinum toxin A: experience in the treatment of 115 patients]

Botulinum toxin A is the more efficient therapy of focal dystonias and hemifacial spasm. Our experience with botulinum toxin A injections in 115 patients is reported. Marked or total improvement was achieved in all 45 patients with hemifacial spasm, in 70% of 20 patients with essential blepharospasm and in 71.4% of 14 patients with Meige's syndrome. In 65.2% of 23 patients with cervical dystonia marked but no total improvement was obtained. The worse results were seen in the 6 patients with hand dystonia (writers cramp), in whom marked improvement was obtained in just two. Mild and transient complications occurred in up to 24.4%, eyelid ptosis and eyelid weakness being the most frequent. One patient with Meige's syndrome had an aspiration pneumonia following dysphagia. Our results are in agreement with others, showing that botulinun toxin A is a useful and safe treatment for these conditions.