[Electromyography monitoring in the treatment of torticollis with botulinum toxin].

UNLABELLED: The new method of treatment chronic torticollis is injection into affected muscles botulinum's toxin. Some physicians in diagnostic procedure, treatment and monitoring use needle electromyography (nEMG). The aim of our study was the estimation of the value of nEMG in chronic torticollis treatment. We examined 34 patients with chronic torticollis 4 weeks after botulinum's toxin injection into affected muscles. We have been looking for denervations signs in affected muscles. We found denervations signs in 26 patients. In both muscles sterno-cleido-mastoideus and trapezius we found denervations signs in 13 patients, only in sterno-cleido-mastoideus muscles in 9 patients and in 4 patients only in trapezius muscles. 17 patients from this group improved. The overall rate of improvement in this group was 65%. In 8 patient we didn't find any denervation signs but the rate of improvement in this group was extremely high--87%.

CONCLUSION: EMG examination doesn't play deciding role in the monitoring of torticollis treatment with botulinum toxin.