Selective dorsal rhizotomy for spasticity associated with spinal cord injury sustained during surgery for spinal lipomatous malformation: A case report

J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2022;15(2):377-381. doi: 10.3233/PRM-200809.

Abstract

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) was used to treat lower extremity spasticity in an ambulatory 7-year-old girl with a history of a T10 spinal lipoma. The spasticity was the result of an AIS D spinal cord injury (SCI) suffered during untethering surgery at age 2 years. After SDR and a course of intensive inpatient rehabilitation, the patient's gait improved markedly. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published case of SDR as a treatment for spasticity in a patient with a spinal lipomatous malformation.

Keywords: Selective dorsal rhizotomy; spasticity; spinal cord injury; spinal lipomatous malformation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cerebral Palsy* / complications
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Gait
  • Humans
  • Lipoma* / complications
  • Lipoma* / surgery
  • Muscle Spasticity / etiology
  • Muscle Spasticity / surgery
  • Rhizotomy
  • Spinal Cord Injuries* / complications
  • Treatment Outcome