J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1998;65:604-605 ( October )
Letters to the editor
Posteroventral pallidotomy can ameliorate attacks of
paroxysmal dystonia induced by exercise
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Paroxysmal exercise induced dystonia is a rare disorder
classified as one of the paroxysmal dyskinesias.1 2 In
this condition patients develop dystonia, mostly involving their feet,
after prolonged exercise, usually walking or swimming.1-3
Treatment response is poor to both antieplileptic drugs and drugs given for dystonia
for example, anticholinergic drugs, muscle relaxants, or
acetazolamide.3
We recently noted the dramatic benefit of unilateral pallidotomy in
completely abolishing attacks of paroxysmal exercise induced dystonia
of the contralateral foot in one patient.
This 47 year old woman was followed up over 2 years for a 10 year
history of attacks of dystonia affecting her right foot, induced by
exercise. At onset the attacks were mild and were induced by walking
long distances. During an attack her right foot would invert for a few
minutes making it difficult for her to continue walking or stand. The
attack would subside within 2-3 minutes on resting. Two years after
onset . . . [Full text of this article]
