Persistent facial myokymia: a rare pathognomic physical sign of intrinsic brain-stem lesions: report of 2 cases and review of literature.

ABSTRACT

Characteristically continuous facial myokymia is a pathognomonic, exceedingly rare physical sign of intrinsic brain-stem lesions e.g. multiple sclerosis (where the myokymia lasts only for a few months), pontine glioma (where it is unremitting for years). The physiopathogenesis is unclear. Electromyographic patterns are characteristic. Therapy and prognosis are related to the basic aetio-pathological process. Only two out of 132 cases of intrinsic brain-stem lesions in the department of Neurosurgery, Seth G.s. Medical College, Bombay over a period of 3 decades, exemplify its rarity. These two cases are reported here and the relevant literature is reviewed.