Role of dorsal rhizotomy in spinal cord injury-induced spasticity.
Selective dorsal rhizotomy may have a role in the management of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced spasticity. Spasticity and spasms are common sequelae of SCI in children. Depending on the clinical scenario, treatments may include physical and occupational therapy, oral medications, chemodenervation, and neurosurgical interventions. Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is used in the management of spasticity in selected children with cerebral palsy, but, to the authors' knowledge, its use has not been reported in children with SCI. The authors describe the cases of 3 pediatric patients with SCI and associated spasticity treated with SDR. Two of the 3 patients have had significant long-term improvement in their preoperative spasticity. Although the third patient also experienced initial relief, his spasticity quickly returned to its preoperative severity, necessitating additional therapies. Selective dorsal rhizotomy may have a place in the treatment of selected children with spasticity due to SCI.
['Reynolds|Renee M|RM|', 'Morton|Ryan P|RP|', 'Walker|Marion L|ML|', 'Massagli|Teresa L|TL|', 'Browd|Samuel R|SR|']
D000058:Accidental Falls D000293:Adolescent D001418:Baclofen D002574:Cervical Vertebrae D002648:Child D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug D005260:Female D006801:Humans D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable D008297:Male D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central D009128:Muscle Spasticity D011782:Quadriplegia D019051:Rhizotomy D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae D016896:Treatment Outcome D014948:Wounds, Gunshot
spasticity selective dorsal rhizotomy spinal cord injury ADL = activities of daily living ITB = intrathecal baclofen SCI = spinal cord injury SDR = selective dorsal rhizotomy spine