Botulinum toxin and short-term electrical stimulation in the treatment of equinus in cerebral palsy

✍ Scribed by C. Detrembleur; T.M. Lejeune; A. Renders; P.Y.K. Van den Bergh

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 194 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-3185
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.1282

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Intramuscular botulinum toxin type A (BT‐A) has been shown to reduce spasticity and to improve gait in children with cerebral palsy. To determine whether the efficacy of BT‐A may be enhanced by electrical stimulation, as suggested in focal dystonia or in adult spastic patients, 12 children with dynamic foot equinus deformity were randomly assigned to two groups in a blinded, clinically controlled trial. Intramuscular BT‐A into calf muscles was followed by adjuvant electrical stimulation in Group A (n = 6) but not in Group B (n = 6). Clinical assessment and instrumented gait analysis were performed before and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The combined treatment of BT‐A and electrical stimulation was not superior to BT‐A alone. For all patients, improvement of the clinical and gait variables occurred at 1 and 3 months after BT‐A injection. © 2001 Movement Disorder Society.