title: Pallidotomy for Writer's Cramp after Failed Thalamotomy.
abstract: Although many reports have confirmed the effects of stereotactic thalamotomy for writer's cramp, pallidotomy for writer's cramp is yet to be investigated.
  
  
  
  After a 22-year-old woman with writer's cramp had undergone stereotactic thalamotomy twice, symptomatic relief was only temporary. Because her dystonic symptoms spread around the proximal part of the upper limb, she underwent unilateral pallidotomy 21 months after the second thalamotomy.
  
  
  
  Unilateral pallidotomy improved her dystonic symptoms without any adverse effects immediately after the surgery. During a follow-up observation of 1 year, no recurrent writer's cramp was observed.
  
  
  
  For writer's cramp, when symptoms cannot be improved by thalamotomy, pallidotomy may achieve an effective outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horisawa
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Takakazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamata
authors.forename: Takaomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taira
mesh_terms: D020821:Dystonic Disorders / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053860:Pallidotomy / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013788:Thalamus / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult