Dystonia Surgery (AAN 2000)

Subject: Dystonia Surgery (AAN 2000)

Date: 5/11/2000

E-MOVE reports from the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, held in San Diego, California, 30 April-5 May 2000. Citation numbers below refer to abstracts of presentations and posters, which are published in Neurology 2000;54(suppl.3).

Early-onset generalized dystonia: Neurosurgical treatment by continuous bilateral stimulation of the internal globus pallidus in 15 patients
P Coubes, A Roubertie, N Vayssiere, S Hemm, S Tuffery, B Echenne, P Frerebeau
S32.002

Bilateral deep brain stimulation of the GPi is effective for severe generalized dystonia, according to this report.

Fifteen patients (mean age 14.2 years) receiving bilateral DBS of the GPi were followed for a mean of 12 months. Mean Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale score was reduced from 69.5 to 11.1. Improvement was greatest for the 7 DYT1 individuals, who improved a mean of 90.3%. Thirteen patients could walk without aids, including several who were confined to bed before surgery. Patients reported rapid and complete disappearance of pain, and medications were reduced.

Treatment of severe generalized dystonia using stereotactic pallidotomy
B Ford, L Winfield, S Frucht, ED Louis, PE Greene, S Fahn, SL Pullman, RR Gordon
S32.001

Six patients (mean age 22.7 years, 1 DYT1 carrier) underwent pallidotomy for severe generalized dystonia, including 4 bilateral and 2 unilateral procedures. Mean reduction on the Burke-Fahn- Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale after 18 months follow-up was 29%. One patient developed a speech deficit as a result of surgery.

E-MOVE Editor: Richard Robinson, NASW, WE MOVE

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