Spasm of the Near Reflex: Literature Review and Proposed Management Strategy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spasm of the near reflex (SNR) can be a variable, unpredictable condition. There is no standard management strategy. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the pertinent information from a literature review to better identify, explain, and manage this condition.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Case presentations and retrospective literature review

Results

The presumed cause of SNR can be grouped into four categories: psychogenic, head trauma, organic/neurologic, and other causes. Etiology is often presumed rather than confirmed and may be multifactorial. A number of treatments have been reported, all with unpredictable efficacy.Etiology may be the most important factor in predicting treatment outcomes. In general, SNR due to psychogenic causes often has a good prognosis but time required for resolution varies widely. SNR due to an organic/neurologic cause may resolve with treatment of the underlying condition, but a psychogenic component may also occur in these cases. SNR due to head trauma has the poorest prognosis with incomplete resolution for many.

CONCLUSION

SNR is highly variable in presentation and may have various causes. Response to treatment is unpredictable but may be dependent on etiology. A standardized treatment protocol for SNR may not be attainable, but it is possible to approach management of SNR in a methodical manner. A proposed management strategy is presented.