Phenol Motor Point Block in the Management of Spasticity

Portable type Electrostimulator and the Clinical Experience

Abstract

Eighteen Patients with Spasticity (paraplegics 13, quadriplegics 3, and hemiplegics 2) were given the Motor Point Block with 5% phenol solution to relieve the Spasticity, which disturbed their ambulation, transfer activity and wheel chair training, and produced the spasm with pain during their rest.
Motor points were searched by teflon coated needle connected with the portable type electro-stimulator. This handy electro-stimulator was useful in the out-patient room and even in the ward.
The patients got the following advantages, being relieved from the spasticity by the motor point block,
(1) Long leg braces were more easily applied in 3 paraplegic patients.
(2) Two patients could ambulate immediately with the application of braces.
(3) Two paraplegic patients, who had only been able to ambulate with the swing-to gait, got swing-thru gait after the motor point blocks with phenol.
(4) Five patients were relieved from the spasm during rest after the blocks.
(5) Transfer activity became easier in 6 patients.
(6) The ROM in 2 cases was increased, effecting the recovery of the power of antagonistic muscles, after the block.
The author, however, wants to emphasize that the advantages of motor point blocks with phenol would be lost unless the well scheduled functional trainings were followed.