Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Blepharospasm and Hemifacial Spasm

J.Price
J.O’Day

Forty-eight patients, thirty tow with Blepharospasm and sixteen with Hemifacial spasm were treated with botulinum toxin A. Patients considered the treatment to be successful despite the temporary effect and transient side effects that occurred with 72% of treatments given to Hemifacial spasm patients and with 55% of treatments for Blepharospasm patients. The duration of effect was longer for Hemifacial spasm patients than Blepharospasm patients (13.4 weeks compared with 7.6 weeks p<0.01). The patients did not become tolerant to the drug after repeated treatments.