Treatment Options For Cervical Dystonia

Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation is the other form of surgery that might be recommended for patients with cervical dystonia. It's sometimes used for patients who no longer respond to the botulinum toxin injections with an ideal level of effectiveness. In addition, it might be recommended when it's hard to treat the form of cervical dystonia with injections. One of the most common types of cervical dystonia treated with deep brain stimulation is anterocollis. During this kind of treatment, electrodes are inserted into the brain on both sides of the globus pallidus. The surgeon will connect each electrode to stimulators that send tiny electric pulses into the brain. Researchers haven't yet discovered what the exact mechanism of action is in deep brain stimulation. However, there seems to be a type of 'reset' that occurs, which causes the dystonic movements and muscle spasms to improve. Once the electrodes are placed, the stimulators receive programming for optimal outcomes.