Experience of the application of botulinum toxin type A as a treatment of facial hyperkinetic disorders in a Mexican ophthalmological center.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

Blepharospasm is characterized by involuntary, sustained spasms of the orbicularis oculi, corrugator, and procerus muscles. Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is characterized by the involuntary tonic-clonic contraction of the muscles of a hemiface. The main role of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in the treatment of blepharospasm and HFS is recognized by guidelines around the world. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of botulinum toxin type A in patients with periocular hyperkinetic disorders at the Instituto de Oftalmología Fundación Conde de Valenciana, so that we can share the Mexican experience with the international evidence.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The clinical records of patients diagnosed with facial hyperkinetic disorders treated with botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) that were treated from January 2015 to September 2021 were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 140 records of patients diagnosed with facial hyperkinetic disorder and treated with BoNT-A were analyzed. Facial hyperkinetic disorders that occurred included 5 (3.6%) patients with orbicularis oculi myokymia, 72 (51.4%) with blepharospasm, 62 (44.3%) with hemifacial spasm, and 1 (0.7%) with Meige syndrome. One hundred and twenty patients (85.7%) reported remission of initial symptoms after BoNT-A therapy during the period covered by this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Botulinum toxin type A is effective and safe as a treatment for facial hyperkinetic disorders in the Mexican population.