title: Limb dystonia following electrical injury.
abstract: Electrical injuries of the extremities may cause paralysis, muscle atrophy, sensory deficit, causalgia, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). Limb dystonia has rarely been reported following electrical injury to an extremity, although it may result from cerebral hemisphere electrical trauma. Following electrical injury to the upper extremity, three patients developed limb dystonia accompanied by severe pain and sensory symptoms in two patients and features of RSD in one patient. Two patients received botulinum toxin injections without functional benefit. The mechanism of dystonia following peripheral trauma is unknown but may relate to reorganization of central synaptic connections, possibly in the spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tarsy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sudarsky
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Charness
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004421:Dystonia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins