It also helps improve the walk of the children, who are already mobile. This procedure can offer patients the most significant functionality, such as good strength, motivation, and cognitive function. On the other hand, the children who are not mobile, nerve root sectioning is performed for different reasons, including pain relief from spasticity, to reduce tone and prevent contractures, or to help them enable with day to day activities.
Spasticity after brain and spinal cord injury
Spasticity is a side effect of paralysis, from muscle stiffness to severe, uncontrollable leg movements. It is usually caused by brain and spinal cord injuries. In other words, spasticity is generally caused by damage to the part/ portion of the brain or the spinal cord that controls your body's voluntary movements. It gradually develops over time after surgery. The normal flow of the nerve messages is interrupted by the injuries on the brain or the spine. Hence, the reflex control centre of the brain is unable to transmit them. Then our spinal cord tries to control the body's response. The spinal cord is not as efficient as the brain. Therefore, it sends back the signals to the sensation site in an overactive muscle response, such as uncontrollable movements, muscle stiffening and strengthening, contraction of the muscles, etc. Flexor and extensor are the most common muscles that spasm.
Symptoms of spasticity
- Sudden involuntary and extending limbs jerking muscle groups such as trunk, bladder, and rectum.
- Hyperactive reflexes of the muscles spasm when you are touched. Muscles that stiffen are at rest, making it difficult to relax your muscles.
- Muscle get stiffens during the activities, and it makes it difficult for you to control your activities.
Problems caused due to spasticity
- It can be painful.
- Spasticity can cause you a loss of range of motion in your joints.
- It can make it difficult for you to sit longer.
- If you have spasticity in your chest muscles, it would be challenging to take deep breaths.
- Repeated muscle spasms may affect your sleep.
- It can make your movements harder to control.
How is root nerve sectioning for spasticity performed?
Nerve root sectioning is a minimally invasive procedure. A small incision is made so that a minimum of tissue is disturbed. A minimally invasive nerve root sectioning is shorter than traditional surgery. It provides quicker recovery and fewer complications. The doctors give anaesthesia to the patient, which makes them unconscious. The patient is positioned from the chest side, and the doctor makes a small incision over the lower spine. The surgeon removes the back of the vertebra to access the spinal canal. The dural sac is directly opened over the nerve roots that cause spasticity. The surgeon separates the nerve roots and rootlets. The surgeon checks the electrical signals with the help of the device. The nerve rootlets which causes spasticity are cut and separated from the normal nerve rootlets. The surgeon closes the dural sac and closes the incision with dressings.
Management of spasticity of nerve root sectioning after brain and spinal cord injury
- A healthy lifestyle helps you to avoid problems that can increase spasticity.
- Physical treatments.
- Regular stretching exercises helps you to maintain flexibility and help to lower the effect of muscle stiffness.
- Weight-bearing and supporting devices enable you to stretch muscles.
- Splints, braces, or progressive casting into the desired muscles stretching and flexibility positions.
- Use hot and cold packs on the areas where you have sensations.
Medications
The oral medications and nerve point block aid when physical treatment is not enough to control spasticity. If spasticity involves a large area of your body, the doctor may prescribe you baclofen, benzodiazepines, dantrolene, and tizanidine. The effectiveness of these medications depends on each individual. If there is spasticity in one part of your body, then anaesthetic medications, alcohol, phenol or neurotoxins are injected into the muscles that have spasticity. The benefits are temporary and could be used with oral medications. You can contact us to know the charges of nerve root sectioning for spasticity and brain and spinal cord injury and other treatments by contacting us.
Dr. (Prof.) Sumit Sinha is one of the best neurosurgeons in Gurgaon (India). He has vast experience of over 17 years in the field of Neurosurgery. He is also one of the most awarded brain surgeons/ doctors in Delhi. Your search for the best doctor of the brain in India ends here. Please get in touch with us.