The surgical management of congenital muscular torticollis

The majority of children with congenital muscular torticollis are successfully treated with an aggressive physical therapy program. A select group of patients, however, clearly require an operation for a successful outcome. This article takes a historical look at the role of surgery in the management of congenital muscular torticollis and its evolution into today's management principles. By reviewing the literature, we define the subset of children requiring an operation and the ideal timing of the operation. Finally, a brief description of the operative intervention is given.