title: Selective lumbosacral dorsal rhizotomy immediately caudal to the conus medullaris for cerebral palsy spasticity.
abstract: We describe a variation of selective dorsal rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy that involves sectioning of the dorsal spinal roots immediately caudal to the conus medullaris. The operation entails an L1-L2 laminectomy, ultrasonographic localization of the conus medullaris, and partial deafferentation of the L1-S2 roots with electromyographic testing under an operating microscope. In 66 children with cerebral palsy, the operation reduced spasticity in the lower extremity without complications, e.g., motor weakness, neurogenic bladder, and sensory loss. It offers several important advantages over alternative techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, Missouri.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gaffney
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Molleston
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012447:Sacrum / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*