Selective peripheral denervation for torticollis: preliminary results.

Herein we report the preliminary results in nine patients who have undergone selective peripheral denervation for spasmodic torticollis and have been followed up for at least 13 months. All patients had improvement immediately after surgical intervention, and the results have been maintained in five patients. In one patient who had recurrent torticollis, a second procedure in conjunction with injection of botulinum toxin has produced substantial improvement; however, follow-up was brief (6 months). No surgical complications occurred. We believe that selective peripheral denervation is safe and that it can benefit patients with torticollis who have not responded to other types of therapy. These favorable results confirm other published reports on the efficacy of selective peripheral denervation. Long-term follow-up, however, is necessary for determining the role of this procedure in the management of torticollis.