Ventro-oral Thalamotomy as a Treatment for Focal Hand Dystonia

A retrospective, open-label study suggests possible substantial benefit.

Investigators retrospectively report on the safety and long-term efficacy of unilateral ventro-oral (vo) thalamotomy on 171 consecutive patients diagnosed with task-specific focal hand dystonia (TSFD). The TSFD scale was used to measure outcomes (preoperatively and 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months postoperatively) across a cohort that included writer's cramp (n=92), musician's dystonia (n=58), and other occupational task-related dystonias (n=21).

During a mean follow-up of 25 months, mean TSFD scores improved significantly from baseline. Of the 171 patients, 18 (10.5%) had recurrence of dystonia and 6 (3.5%) had persistent adverse events (2 dysarthria, 2 weakness, 1 dysesthesia, and 1 verbal recall issues). In addition, there were 2 chronic s…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)