Overview

With the ever-growing therapeutic indications for toxin treatment, increasing numbers of available toxins, and the potential dangers and pitfalls if toxin injections are performed sub-optimally, there is a clear need for a comprehensive training of toxin injection. The clear educational need is for a thorough and intensive training that incorporates balanced and comprehensive didactic lectures, the opportunity to ask questions on uncertain areas, patient demonstrations, and true assessment of understanding of concepts and readiness for injection.

This comprehensive course will provide the practicing clinician or clinician-in-training the necessary knowledge needed to competently utilize all types of botulinum toxins, including the use of EMG and ultrasound, all adult and pediatric neurological indications. The course also features toxin injection demonstrations on patients and the opportunity to interact with North American thought-leaders in dystonia and toxin injections with reputations for being exemplary educators.

Who Should Attend?

This educational activity is intended for neurologists, physiatrists, residents and fellows.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the fundamental pharmacology of botulinum toxin therapy, its history, mechanisms of action, duration and onset of action, potential side effects, contraindications, and clinical indications.
• List the botulinum toxin products approved by the FDA and summarize their differences and similarities in clinical response, dosing, side effects, preparation, and administration.
• Review the different therapeutic uses of botulinum toxins in neurological disorders, both FDA-approved indications and off-label uses.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound- guided neurotoxin injections, their best use in clinical practice, and ergonomic guidelines.
• Describe the evidence-based practices for neurotoxin use in the pediatric population, including indications and dosing considerations.
• Demonstrate the proper administration of all types of botulinum toxins including anatomic localization, target and muscle selection, use of electromyographic and ultrasound guidance, and injection techniques.
• Summarize the proper and ethical process of consent, preauthorization, billing, and coding for botulinum toxin use.