[Botulinum toxin as a treatment for strabismus in systemic diseases].

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the effectiveness of botulinum toxin for treating strabismus secondary to systemic diseases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 141 patients with secondary strabismus were studied. To reduce risks, the treatment with botulinum toxin was made by a direct technique proposed by the authors. The response to the treatment was classified according to the different physiopathogenic groups.

RESULTS: We found a positive response in: Central Neurological damage: 71%, Endocrinopathies: 78.6%, Brain infection: 80%, Trauma: 60%, Psychomotor defficiency: 72%, Prematurity: 74%, Myasthenia 75%, Hemathological diseases: 75%. The average of botulinum toxin applications was 1.5 infections.

CONCLUSIONS: We show that the effectiveness of botulinum toxin in strabismus secondary to systemic disease is up to 74%. We can offer rehabilitation in all of these cases even during the sometimes long diagnostic period or in patients under treatment. We also suggest our direct technique for the application of botulinum toxin (without electromyography) to avoid risks in this type of patients. We are reporting the use and positive effect of the botulinum toxin chemodenervation in Myasthenia gravis, Human Acquired Immune-deficiency Syndrome, and mental defficiency.