title: Intrathecal baclofen--the importance of catheter position.
abstract: In a patient receiving intrathecal baclofen injections for intractable trunk and leg spasms, positioning the subarachnoid catheter tip just caudal to the spinal segments innervating the spastic muscles enhanced the spasmolytic effect of bolus injections of intrathecal baclofen on the affected muscles. Such selective positioning of subarachnoid catheters may facilitate segmental spasmolysis with lower intrathecal doses of baclofen and provide an important alternative to relying only on ascending CSF concentration gradients of baclofen from chronic lumbar intrathecal infusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ottawa General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hugenholtz
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dehoux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001418:Baclofen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002404:Catheterization; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D009896:Optic Atrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D013346:Subarachnoid Space
chemical_list: D001418:Baclofen