Clinical characteristics of lateral pterygoid myospasm: a retrospective study of 18 patients.
The available scientific literature on masticatory myospasm-induced oromandibular dystonia is limited. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of lateral pterygoid myosapsm in a series of 18 patients. Clinical and electromyographic (EMG) data of 36 patients diagnosed with masticatory muscle myospasm were reviewed, and data from 18 patients with needle EMG-confirmed lateral pterygoid myospasm were extracted for retrospective study. The study population included 6 men and 12 women with a mean age of 53.2 ± 15.3 years. Patients' chief complaints, severity and frequency of myospasm, clinical observations, video recordings, and surface/needle EMG recordings were analyzed. Despite the variety of manifestations, 3 characteristic signs and symptoms of lateral pterygoid myospasm were observed. These were: 1) jaw function disabilities; 2) difficulty in jaw closing after wide opening; and 3) involuntary jaw movements. A differential diagnosis of lateral pterygoid myospasm should be included when oromandibular dystonia is accompanied by the fore mentioned.
Center for TMD and Orofacial Pain, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
Ye
Y
Cao
Wei
W
Zhang
Adrian U Jin
AU
Yap
Qiu-Fei
QF
Xie
Kai-Yuan
KY
Fu
D000368:Aged; D020820:Dyskinesias / Q000503:physiopathology; D020821:Dystonic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011626:Pterygoid Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013035:Spasm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*