Does loss of spasticity matter? A 10‐year follow‐up after selective dorsal rhizotomy in cerebral palsy

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐term effects of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Method Nineteen children (four females, 15 males; mean age 4y 7mo, SD 1y 7mo) with bilateral spastic CP, were prospectively assessed at baseline and 18 months, 3 years, and 10 years after SDR. Assessments included the Modified Ashworth Scale for spasticity, the Gross Motor Function Measure 88 (GMFM‐88) and the Wilson gait scale for ambulation, neurological investigations, and passive joint range of motion assessment. A 10‐year retrospective chart review was added for orthopaedic surgery after SDR. Results Baseline muscle tone at the hip, knee, and ankle level displayed a high degree of spasticity that normalized after SDR. After 10 years there was a slight recurrence of spasticity at the knee and ankle. Joint range of motion declined from a maximum at 3 years after SDR to the 10‐year follow‐up. Median ambulatory status was best 3 years after SDR and then declined. The GMFM‐88 score increased from the median baseline value of 51 to 66 (p=0.002) and 76 (p