Experience of the application of botulinum toxin type A as a treatment of facial hyperkinetic disorders in a Mexican ophthalmological center.

[BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE] Blepharospasm is characterized by involuntary, sustained spasms of the orbicularis oculi, corrugator, and procerus muscles. Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is characterized by the involuntary tonic-clonic contraction of the muscles of a hemiface. The main role of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in the treatment of blepharospasm and HFS is recognized by guidelines around the world. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of botulinum toxin type A in patients with periocular hyperkinetic disorders at the Instituto de Oftalmología Fundación Conde de Valenciana, so that we can share the Mexican experience with the international evidence.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] The clinical records of patients diagnosed with facial hyperkinetic disorders treated with botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) that were treated from January 2015 to September 2021 were analyzed.

[RESULTS] A total of 140 records of patients diagnosed with facial hyperkinetic disorder and treated with BoNT-A were analyzed. Facial hyperkinetic disorders that occurred included 5 (3.6%) patients with orbicularis oculi myokymia, 72 (51.4%) with blepharospasm, 62 (44.3%) with hemifacial spasm, and 1 (0.7%) with Meige syndrome. One hundred and twenty patients (85.7%) reported remission of initial symptoms after BoNT-A therapy during the period covered by this study.

[CONCLUSIONS] Botulinum toxin type A is effective and safe as a treatment for facial hyperkinetic disorders in the Mexican population.