• Douglas J Van Daele, Eileen M Finnegan, Robert L Rodnitzky, Weining Zhen, Timothy M McCulloch, and Henry T Hoffman.
• Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City 52242, USA. douglas-van-daele@uiowa.edu
• Arch Otolaryngol. 2002 Aug 1; 128 (8): 956-9.

ObjectiveTo introduce the concept of neck muscle pain and spasm after radiotherapy and its treatment with botulinum toxin A.DesignCase series.SettingAmbulatory patients at a tertiary care medical center.PatientsIndividuals who had undergone primary or adjuvant radiotherapy for treatment of carcinoma of the head and neck were asked about painful spasms of the neck musculature. A volunteer sample was used. If they desired treatment with botulinum toxin A, they were included in the study.InterventionPatients received botulinum toxin A injections to the affected sternocleidomastoid muscle(s) in 1 or 2 locations.Outcome MeasureSubjective pain relief.ResultsFour of 6 patients with painful tightness of the neck who received botulinum toxin A injections to the sternocleidomastoid muscle achieved pain relief.ConclusionsA subset of patients with irradiation-induced cervical muscle spasm benefit from treatment with botulinum toxin A injections. Further study is needed to more clearly define the entity and treatment.

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