Surgical treatment options for spasticity in children and adolescents with hereditary spastic paraplegia

Purpose: To provide an overview of outcome and complications of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) and intrathecal baclofen pump implantation (ITB) for spasticity treatment in children with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). Methods: Retrospective study including children with HSP and SDR or ITB. Gross motor function measure (GMFM-66) scores and level of spasticity were assessed. Results: Ten patients were included (most had mutations in ATL1 (n = 4) or SPAST (n = 3) genes). Four walked without and two with walking aids, four were non-walking children. Six patients underwent SDR, three patients ITB, and one both. Mean age at surgery was 8.9 ± 4.5 years with a mean follow-up of 3.4 ± 2.2 years. Five of the SDR patients were walking. Postoperatively spasticity in the legs was reduced in all patients. The change in GMFM-66 score was + 8.0 (0–19.7 min–max). The three ITB patients treated (SPAST (n = 2) and PNPLA6 (n = 1) gene mutation) were children with a progressive disease course. No complications of surgery occurred. Conclusions: SDR is a feasible treatment option in carefully selected children with HSP, especially in walking patients. The majority of patients benefit with respect to gross motor function, complication risk is low. ITB was used in children with severe and progressive disease.