Intrathecal baclofen infusion and subsequent orthopedic surgery in patients with spastic cerebral palsy.
Intrathecal baclofen infusion (IBI) is an effective treatment for spasticity secondary to cerebral palsy (CP).


OBJECTIVE
To assess the need for orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities in such cases, the authors retrospectively reviewed the outcome in 48 patients with spastic CP who were treated with IBI.


METHODS
Pumps were placed in 40 patients (84%) suffering from spastic quadriplegia and eight patients (16%) with spastic diplegia. The patients' ages ranged from 5 to 43 years (mean 15 years). The mean follow-up period was 53 months (range 24-94 months). The mean baclofen dosage was 306 microg/day (range 25-1350 microg/day). At the time of pump placement, subsequent orthopedic surgery was planned in 28 patients (58%); however, only 10 (21%) underwent surgery after IBI therapy. In all 10 cases, the surgical procedure was planned at the time of initial evaluation for IBI therapy. In the remaining 18 patients, who did not subsequently undergo their planned orthopedic operation, it was believed that their lower-extremity spasticity had improved to the degree that intervention was no longer indicated. In addition, although six patients had undergone multiple orthopedic operations before their spasticity was treated, no patient required more than one operation after IBI treatment for spasticity.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors conclude that IBI for treatment of spastic CP reduces the need for subsequent orthopedic surgery for the effects of lower-extremity spasticity. In patients with spastic CP and lower-extremity contractures, spasticity should be treated before orthopedic procedures are performed.
Gerszten
P C
PC
Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Albright
A L
AL
Johnstone
G F
GF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001418:Baclofen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003286:Contracture / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000601:surgery; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018755:GABA Agonists; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D001418:Baclofen