Surgical treatment of congenital muscular torticollis with a new scarless technique

What is it about?

Early diagnosis and treatment of congenital muscular torticollis provides excellent results in more than 90% of patients. However, surgical treatment in adult or neglected cases usually provides excellent results in a significantly lower proportion. Aditionally, the rate of relapses in adult patients is also significantly higher. The retrospective study presented confirms that the use of a percutaneous technique, which performs numerous but smaller myotomies all along muscle length and width, provides excellent results in a highly significant proportion of adult patients.

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Photo by Loume Visser on Unsplash

Photo by Loume Visser on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This new surgical technique represents a paradigm shift in congenital muscular torticollis surgical treatment: - First, the absence of skin incisions avoids the need for specific postoperative wound care and the appearance of possible pathological scars. - Second, by performing multiple myotomies along the entire muscle body, a much wider and more effective three-dimensional muscle release is obtained. - Third, simultaneous enriched fat grafting can provide additional volume to improve neck symmetry and facilitate muscle healing, thereby making more difficult potential recurrences - Finally, the use of cervical collars or traction devices is absolutely necessary during the postoperative period of any type of muscular release when it comes to preventing relapses after surgery. The successful outcome of percutaneous myotomies technique does not rely on the postoperative use of any cervical collar or traction device.

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