title: Intrathecal baclofen therapy in children with acquired brain injuries after drowning: A case series.
abstract: Objective: To investigate clinical efficacy as well as the incidence and extent of complications regarding intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective medical chart review of three paediatric patients with acquired brain injuries (ABI) resulting from drowning who underwent ITB pump implantation for treatment of severe spasticity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the pre-operative state, ITB therapy reduced spasticity with a corresponding decrease of modified Ashworth scale in upper (3.2 ± 1.4 to 1.3 ± 0.6) and lower extremities (3.5 ± 0.9 to 2.0 ± 1.0). Overall, six complications, five device-related and one accidental, were found in two out of three patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrathecal baclofen is an effective therapy option for paediatric patients with ABI after drowning to significantly reduce spasticity of upper and lower extremities. A word of caution must be addressed to the incidence and extent of complications related to ITB therapy.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Urology, Spinal Cord Injury Centre & Research, University of Zurich, Balgrist University Hospital , Zurich , Switzerland .
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altermatt
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furrer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer-Heim
mesh_terms: D001418:Baclofen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D015701:Near Drowning / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001418:Baclofen
keywords: Baclofen; drowning; outcome; paediatric; rehabilitation; spasticity