Denervation and myotomy of muscles of the omotrapezoid triangle of the neck improve the outcomes of surgical treatment of laterocollis and torticollis subtypes of spasmodic torticollis: 58 case analysis

Background: The main objective of this study was to analyze the outcomes of denervation and myotomy of the muscles of the omotrapezoid triangle of the neck in the treatment of 58 patients with the laterocollis and torticollis subtypes of spasmodic torticollis.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients with the laterocollis and torticollis subtypes of spasmodic torticollis underwent 135 staged microsurgical denervations, including 25 denervation and myotomy procedures on the dystonic muscles of the omotrapezoid triangle (Tretyak's procedure). The outcome evaluation was conducted via neurological examination and the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (Severity subscale).

Results: Tretyak's procedure allowed us to improve the outcomes of surgical treatment of the latero- and torticollis subtypes of spasmodic torticollis. Ninety-two percent of patients who underwent the denervation of the muscles of the omotrapezoid triangle moved to the group with lower ST severity-predominantly to the group with mild severity (21 patients out of 25). Tretyak's procedure appeared to be effective in 100 % of patients with the torticollis subtype of ST (15 patients out of 15) and in 80 % of patients with the laterocollis subtype of ST (8 patients out of 10).

Conclusions: Tretyak's procedure appears to be an excellent additional surgical procedure in terms of improvement of the outcomes of the "classic" Bertrand microsurgical denervation of the muscles of the neck in patients with the latero- and torticollis subtypes of spasmodic torticollis; staging of surgical denervation of muscles of the neck in the treatment of patients with the latero- and torticollis subtypes of spasmodic torticollis allows the surgeon to precisely evaluate the outcomes of previously conducted procedures, individualize the surgical approach by providing the necessary time and space to create a well-defined plan and thoroughly define the aims of further surgical denervation.