Swallow-Induced Eyelid Myokymia: A Novel Synkinesis Syndrome

Neuroophthalmology. 2019 Apr 1;44(2):108-110. doi: 10.1080/01658107.2019.1587637. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Herein, we describe a novel manifestation of facial nerve synkinesis, swallow-induced eyelid myokymia, and hypothesise that this phenomenon is due to synkinetic facial nerve innervations of the stylohyoid-posterior digastric complex of suprahyoid muscles and orbicularis oculi muscle. In our patient's case, onabotulinum toxin A treatment provided good therapeutic response. Swallow-induced eyelid myokymia is a unique and previously unreported variety of facial nerve synkinesis.

Keywords: Myokymia; aberrant regeneration; benign eyelid myokymia; facial nerve; swallow; synkinesis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports