Therapy of Hemifacial Spasm with Botulinum Toxin: an Update

Injections of botulinum toxin can be viewed by now as the therapy of choice in treating hemifacial spasm (HFS). Each of the three botulinum toxin-A preparations have been approved for this indication in Germany. HFS is a frequent disease characterized by involuntary contractions of the muscles of one half of the face innervated by the facial nerve. The symptoms can be either tonic or clonic, intermittant or permanent. Diagnosis is based purely on clinical observation. A magnetic resonance imagingof the skull is appropriate to demonstrate nerve-vessel contact as most frequent cause and to exclude other pathologies.

Automated summary

Botulinum toxin injections are the preferred treatment for hemifacial spasm and have been approved for use in Germany. Hemifacial spasm is a common condition characterized by involuntary contractions of the facial muscles on one side of the face. Diagnosis is based on clinical observation, and magnetic resonance imaging of the skull is recommended to identify the most common cause and rule out other pathologies.