Avalia？？o estética e funcional do tratamento cirúrgico do torcicolo congênito com a técnica de libera？？o distal do músculo esternocleidomastoideo

objective: to evaluate the treatment outcome of surgical treatment of congenital torcicollis through distal liberation of sternocleidomastoid muscle. methods: the result of the surgical treatment of 21 patients bearing congenital muscular torticollis, submitted to the lower liberation of the sternocleidomastoid muscle's contracture, from september of 1986 through september of 2003, at the department of orthopedics and traumatology of the faculdade de ciências médicas of the santa casa de s？o paulo, was retrospectively evaluated using cheng and tang's protocol. results: with an average of 55 months of follow-up (ranging from 6 months to 17 years), this study revealed that 20 patients (95%) showed good or even excellent aesthetic-functional results, with few complications due to the procedure. conclusions: in the present experience, the surgical treatment of the congenital muscular torticollis showed good or even excellent aesthetic-functional results.