Intrathecal baclofen infusion and subsequent orthopedic surgery in patients with spastic cerebral palsy

Abstract

Intrathecal baclofen infusion (IBI) is an effective treatment for spasticity secondary to cerebral palsy (CP). The authors retrospectively reviewed the need for orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities in 48 patients with spastic CP who were treated with IBI. Forty pumps were placed in patients suffering from spastic quadriplegia (84%) and eight (16%) in patients with spastic diplegia. The patients' ages ranged from 5 to 43 years (mean 15 years). The mean follow-up period was 53 months (range 22-94 months). The mean baclofen dosage was 306 μg/day (range 25-1350 μg/day). At the time of pump placement, subsequent orthopedic surgery was planned in 28 patients (58%); however, only 10 (21%) underwent orthopedic 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 orthopedic 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 orthopedic operation after IBI treatment for their spasticity. 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.