Objective: Our study aimed to assess the role of pallidotomy in pediatric patients with secondary dystonia.

Background: The response of primary dystonia to pallidal surgery (DBS or lesioning) is good. However, patients with secondary dystonia are considered poor surgical candidates. In this study, we tried to find the results of pallidotomy in patients with secondary dystonia.

Method: We included all patients under 20 years of age, who underwent bilateral pallidotomy for secondary dystonia. Various parameters were studied after retrieving the data from the computerized database of our hospital. Change in disability after surgery was used to assess the response to pallidotomy.

Results: Ten patients underwent bilateral pallidotomy for secondary dystonia in the study duration. The various causes of secondary dystonia included hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, post-encephalitic, wilson’s disease and pantothenate kinase associated neurodegeneration. Mean age was 13 years (range 6 to 20 years). All the patients had generalized dystonia. One patient was in status dystonicus. Nine patients had improvement in symptoms. One patient had worsening of his psychiatric symptoms.

Conclusion: Pallidotomy is an effective way of treating patients with secondary dystonia, though the response is not as good as in primary dystonia. Even partial improvement is beneficial in patients with secondary dystonia.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/role-of-pallidotomy-in-secondary-dystonia-in-pediatric-patients/