Surgical Spasticity Program

Baclofen pumps are devices that make your child’s muscles more relaxed and comfortable. They relieve spasms and muscle cramping. The pump gives medicine directly to the fluid around the spine at scheduled times during the day.

The pump is installed with a short surgery. The pump is placed under the skin in your child’s torso. It’s attached to the spine with a small tube. This lets medicine go straight to where it’s needed.

In deep brain stimulation, our neurosurgeons place tiny wires, called electrodes, in specific areas of your child’s brain. These wires are connected to a small device, similar to a pacemaker, which is placed under the skin near the collarbone.

The device sends regular electrical impulses to the target areas of the brain to correct excessive or misguided signals in the brain.

For some patients with cerebral palsy, selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgery that helps reduce spasticity and increases overall functional ability.. The treatment involves cutting (sectioning) problematic nerve roots in the spine to improve muscle symptoms.

Instead of using a baclofen pump, another option for children who need complete care is a surgery called non-selective dorsal rhizotomy. The goal of this surgery is to decrease muscle spasticity that causes pain, makes it hard to clean, or makes sitting in a wheelchair uncomfortable. This is a permanent procedure that helps to decrease the abnormal tone in the legs.

Single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLs) is a type of orthopedic surgery where several muscle and bone problems are fixed in one operation. This is often used for children with cerebral palsy who have trouble walking or moving because of joint and bone issues. By doing everything in one procedure, your child can avoid having multiple surgeries and recovery periods.