Cerebral Palsy Surgery
For people suffering from cerebral palsey, surgery is one of the treatment options available to them. Surgery is usually a method of last resort to treat and make better a person suffering from cerebral palsey. There are several types of surgery. Below we give you some great information on the types of surgeries available, including orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, stereotactic neurosurgery and stereotactic thalamotomy.
Orthopaedic surgery
Orthopaedic is derived from the Greek words orthos which means correct or straight, and paideia which means rearing of a child. Essentially it refers to surgery aimed at correcting the musculoskeletal system of children.
The objective of orthopaedic surgery is to lengthen the muscle and tendons of the cerebral palsey sufferer. This helps alleviate some cerebral palsey symptoms related to muscle stiffness and rigidity. The steps involved use a method called gait analysis. In gait analysis, the doctor identifies problem muscles, eliminates compensation factors related to walking and checks surgical results. The other way is to use equipment such as cameras and computers to record and analyse the patient’s walk and electromyography to record muscle activity. After surgery, the patient enters rehabilitation and is placed in the hands of experts who will see to his or her recovery. Recovery can take many months. In view of this, doctors try to fix affected muscles in single surgery. Where more than one surgical procedure is needed, operations are scheduled as close together as possible.
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is a branch of surgery that focuses on surgery of the central or peripheral nervous system.
The objective of neurosurgery is to prevent spasticity in the legs of a cerebral palsey sufferer. The doctor does this by selectively severing the nerves which overstimulate leg muscles. Neurosurgical methods may be controversial, but it benefits cerebral palsey patients especially those suffering from spastic diplegia.
Stereotactic neurosurgery
Stereotaxy refers to the use of a three-dimensional co-ordinates system to locate small targets inside the body.
The objective of stereotactic neurosurgery is to improve rigidity, choreoathetosis, tremors in certain parts of body. How this is done is that the doctor treats the area of brain which controls that part of body to be improved. First, he obtains images of the brain via a head CT scan. Then he moves the co-ordinates of location of treatment to a stereotactic frame. Next he guides the electrode to target area in brain based on stereotactic frame (acts as map). Finally he sends electrical impulses through the electrode into the brain tissue to change the nature of the brain cell.
Stereotactic thalamotomy
Thalamotomy is a form of invasive procedure. It involves looking for a selected portion of the thalamus and surgically destroying it.
The objective of stereotactic thalamotomy is to reduce hemiparetic tremor. How this is done is that the doctor cuts parts of the thalamus used to relay messages from muscles and sensory organs. This procedure carries with it significant risk.
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Tags: cerebral palsey | Cerebral Palsy Surgery | surgery for cerebral palsey
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