Severe spasticity is a limiting factor for motor development in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Botulinum toxin, intrathecal baclofen and peroral baclofen all reduce spasticity but might also limit improvements in functional development over time. In the selective dorsal or posterior rhizotomy (SDR) approach, afferent sensory nerve fibers are cut while efferent motor fibers are preserved. In this way spasticity is reduced and motor functions can improve. SDR is an established treatment method, and the first Danish study is reported.Twenty Danish children with severe spastic cerebral palsy were evaluated, operated on and trained over a 10-year period from 1992 to 2002. Those on whom operation was performed ranged from 4 to 16 years of age (median 8 years), and training and follow-up took place during the ensuing 60 months. At time of operation, 20-40% of 100-120 dorsal root filaments were cut, corresponding to the II-V lumbar and I-II sacral nerve roots.Spasticity in the lower extremities measured before SDR showed an average Asworth score of 2.0-4.2 (median 3.1). Eighteen months after SDR, scores were 0.8-1.8 (median 1.0), and at 60 months 0.8-1.8 (median 1.0). Both post-operative values were significant (t-test, p < 0.001). Mobility improved over a longer period of time: the Illinois St. Louis scale values before SDR were 1-9 (median 6), while at 18 months post-operative they were 1-9 (median 5) and at 60 months post-operative 1-9 (median 4). At 18 months, scores were non-significant (t test, p > 0.05), but at 60 months they were significant (t < 0.05). According to the Montgomery scale, 4 children had worse post-operative scores and 12 children had better scores. When comparing age at operation with outcome, we observed a certain degree of concordance between relatively younger age and better post-operative muscular function (Pearson's r = 0.8).SDR resulted in early and lasting reduction in spasticity in all 20 children operated upon. Improved muscular function, however, required training and time. Not until 60 months after operation were functional measures significantly better than the preoperative values.
Abstract. Brandt, S., Lønstrup, H., Marner, T., Rump, K. J., Selmar, P., Schack, L. K. (Clinic for Cerebral Palsy and Child Neurology, Orthopedic Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark) and d'Avignon, M., Norén, L. and Årman, T. (The Paediatric Clinics of St. Göran's and Danderyd Hospitals, Stockholm, Sweden). Prevention of cerebral palsy in motor risk infants by treatment ad modum Vojta. Acta Paediatr Scand, 69: 283, 1980.—The proposal by V. Vojta in 1974 to prevent development of cerebral palsy in ‘motor risk’ infants by special treatment has been investigated in 11 Danish and 10 Swedish babies and compared with 30 control infants with a similar risk, who were not given Vojta treatment. We found a tendency for ‘uncomplicated’ cerebral palsy cases to accumulate in the control group, although the difference was non‐significant on a 5% level. Further con‐trolled studies must be completed before it is possible to accept the prophylactive treatment of cerebral palsy recommended by Vojta.
The effect of lumbar epidural analgesia with plain bupivacaine, 0.5%, on early (<0.5 sec) somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) to electrical stimulation of the T-10, L-1, and S-1 dermatomes and the posterior tibial nerve was examined in eight patients. A decrease of the cortical amplitude and an increase in latency were seen, most pronounced at the L-1 level, but with only minor effect on the S-1 dermatome. No correlation was found between segmental level of analgesia and decrease in amplitude of the evoked potentials. Thus despite clinically adequate surgical anesthesia, the neural pathways as assessed by SEP were incompletely blocked except at the LI dermatome near the epidural injection site.
The reproducibility of variables commonly included in studies of peripheral nerve conduction in healthy individuals has not previously been analyzed using a random effects regression model. We examined the temporal changes and variability of standard nerve conduction measures in the leg. Peroneal nerve distal motor latency, motor conduction velocity, and compound motor action potential amplitude; sural nerve sensory action potential amplitude and sensory conduction velocity; and tibial nerve minimal F-wave latency were examined in 51 healthy subjects, aged 40 to 67 years. They were reexamined after 2 and 26 weeks. There was no change in the variables except for a minor decrease in sural nerve sensory action potential amplitude and a minor increase in tibial nerve minimal F-wave latency. Reproducibility was best for peroneal nerve distal motor latency and motor conduction velocity, sural nerve sensory conduction velocity, and tibial nerve minimal F-wave latency. Between-subject variability was greater than within-subject variability. Sample sizes ranging from 21 to 128 would be required to show changes twice the magnitude of the spontaneous changes observed in this study. Nerve conduction studies have a high reproducibility, and variables are mainly unaltered during 6 months. This study provides a solid basis for the planning of future clinical trials assessing changes in nerve conduction.
