[Treatments by local injections of botulinum toxin in neurology. Indications and results].

Local injections of botulinum toxin constitute the only truly effective treatment of certain abnormal movements and focal dystonias. The authors describe its indications and report on their personal experience. One hundred and seventeen patients were treated: 48 for blepharospasm, 46 for hemifacial spasm and 23 for spasmodic torticollis. The results were evaluated by means of a score taking into account the effectiveness of treatment, the duration of this effectiveness, the side-effects, if any, observed, and the course of the neurological disorder after several series of injections. The results were good or excellent in 91 percent of patients with hemifacial spasm and 79 percent of patients with blepharospasm. Spasmodic torticollis was much improved in 35 percent of the cases and less, but satisfactorily, improved in 48 percent. In this disease, the muscles which antagonize those responsible for the dystonia must absolutely be re-educated.