Blepharospasm: a surgical procedure for therapy.

Seventeen patients with intractable blepharospasm underwent bilateral percutaneous fractional thermolytic destruction of branches of the facial nerve. Thirteen were women and four men; their ages ranged from 46 to 76 years with an average of 62 years. Since local and intravenous analgesia were used, the patients were awake and cooperative, resulting in minimal complications. In this series, patients had an average improvement of 69%. Minimal scarring results from the percutaneous route and these patients may undergo staged procedures for further relief of their symptoms.