Botulinum toxin to suppress hyperkinesias after hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis.

Facial hyperkinesias are a common side effect of hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomoses. We report a patient whose facial hyperkinesias were suppressed by botulinum toxin injections a treatment recently introduced in the therapy of craniocervical dystonias. EMG studies are used to document the effect of botulinum toxin on the facial hyperkinesias as well as on voluntary muscle activation.