Objective To assess the medium- and long-term effectiveness of selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR) for spastic cerebral palsy. Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 27 patients with spastic cerebral palsy undergoing SPR between January 1997 and January 2008, whose data were complete with more than 5 years follow-up. There were 14 males and 13 females with an average age of 10.1 years (range, 4-19 years). All patients had simple spastic cerebral palsy, including 17 cases of bilateral spastic palsy and 10 cases of unilateral spastic palsy. The muscle strength, muscle tone, ambulatory function, the sharp foot and crossing-feet, knee jerk, ankle clonus, and Babinski’s sign were evaluated before and after operation. Results All the patients were followed up 5-16 years (mean, 9.6 years). No obvious limitation of lumbar flexion, extension and lateral flexion, spondylolisthesis, kyphosis, and other deformities occurred. At last follow-up, the muscle strength of hip extensors, hip flexors, and knee extensors were significantly increased when compared with preoperative ones (P lt; 0.05); but no significant difference was found in the muscle strength of hip abductors, hip adductors, knee flexors, plantar extensors, and plantar flexors (P gt; 0.05). Abnormal increased muscle tone of hip flexors, hip adductors, knee flexors, and plantar flexors was declined in different degrees in all patients, showing significant differences when compared with preoperative ones (P lt; 0.05); but no significant difference was found in hip extensors, hip abductors, knee extensors, and plantar extensors (P gt; 0.05). At last follow-up, the status of toe steps and crossing-feet disappeared without recurrence for a long time. Sthenic knee jerk was eliminated, but there were several patients also keeping the active knee jerk, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative ones (Z= — 7.404, P=0.000). The results of Babinski’s sign were negative in 31 sides and positive in 13 sides, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative ones (Z= — 6.897, P=0.000). No sharp foot or crossing-feet was observed. And ambulation ability was significantly improved after operation (Z= — 4.111, P=0.000). Conclusion SPR is very effective in decreasing the muscle tone and improving the motor function without recurrence in long-term.
OBJECTIVE To inquire the indications, contraindications, and operative methods of the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy with selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR), and to improve the therapeutic results and decrease the incidence rate of complications. METHODS The documents about SPR were extensively consulted, and the mechanisms, indications, contraindications, operative methods, muscular tension changes and complications after operation were reviewed. RESULTS With the methods of SPR, I alpha fibers of afferent nerve were selectively amputated, reflex circle of spinal cord was locked, and the muscular tension was decreased, so myospasm was removed. The results after operation and incidence rate of complications were closely related to the indications. The therapeutic results were better when the percent of spinal nerve rhizotomy was less than 50%. CONCLUSION It is a good method for the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy.
Abstract This experiment was to study the feasibility from direct observation of muscle contraction of the lower extremity fromelectrical stimulation threshold of nerve fascicle in identifying the Iα intrafusal afferent fibers during selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR) and to investigate the clinical relationship between the muscle spasm and the electrical stimulation of nerve fascicles. The electrical stimulation threshold of all nerve fascicles in 36 cases during SPR were analysed statistically. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the electrical stimulation threshold of the severed nerve fascicles and intact nerve fascicles no matter the nerve root or each posterior nerve rootlet was examined. It was simple and reliable for surgeons to identify correctly the Iα intrafusal afferent fibers intraoperatively from direct observation of the electrical stimulation threshold of nerve fascicle.