title: [Botulinum toxin a treatment in spastic forms of cerebral palsy: a retrospective clinical study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Botulinum toxin therapy now has a firm place in the treatment of spastic forms of cerebral palsy in children. This paper considers the subjective and practical results and the degrees of satisfaction from the point of view of the patients and their families. It also documents the data of infiltrations carried out under anaesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  57 patients with an average age of 11 (± 6.7; 2-30) and with infantile spastic cerebral palsy underwent altogether 118 botulinum toxin A infiltrations. The patients were divided into two groups: those with spastic hemiparesis or diparesis, and those with tetraparesis, and then compared with each other. The results of the treatment were evaluated from the point of view of the patients and their families with the help of a specially developed questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study shows that, broadly-speaking, patients less affected with spastic hemiparesis or diparesis felt they profited more from the treatment than patients more severely affected with tetraparesis. The statistics also show that the first group's expectations were significantly more often fulfilled and that they more frequently perceived greater success after each infiltration than the group with tetraparesis. Most patients and their families from both groups were satisfied with the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients and their families feel that the use of botulinum toxin in the management of spastic cerebral palsy in children is an effective and accepted form of treatment. The aims of the therapy should be defined accurately and realistically before starting treatment, especially for those severely affected with tetraparesis, and discussed in detail with both the patient and his/her family.
authors.affiliation: Orthopädische Universitätsklinik, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen. a.fujak@t-online.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujak
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köckeritz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Häberle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desman
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Köckeritz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins