Posterior rhizotomies for spasticity in children affected by cerebral palsy.

The Authors report their experience on the surgical treatment of spastic syndromes in children affected by cerebral palsy. The series consists of 21 patients: the mean age is 9.3 years. In 18 patients in whom the clinical picture showed spastic paraparesis a posterior selective lumbar rhizotomy was performed: 3 patients with disabling spastic tetraparesis underwent posterior cervical C1-C3 rhizotomy. The follow-up ranges from 4 months to 3 1/2 years. No mortality nor major complications were observed in the entire series. Clinical results can be considered good on the whole; they are related to the motivation to the movement, perceptive deficits, intellectual impairment.