Abstract
Patients with severe spinal spasticity have difficulty in their daily activities, such as moving from a bed to a wheelchair, and ambulation, especially when leg spasticity is accompanied by pain and discomfort. From the standpoint of care providers, severe spasms prevent a successful rehabilitation course from being implemented.
Treatment modalities presently available are oral antispasmodic drugs, spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal baclofen, and intrathecal phenol block (ITPB). In this study, ITPB was administered to 6 spastic para paresis patients (27-64 years old, 11 injections). The blocks successfully reduced spasticity of the legs in all of the patients. No patients experienced reduction of leg muscle tone after ITPB. In this summary, ITPB markedly reduces muscle hyperactivity of the leg, and thereby facilitates sitting on a bed or chair. The effective duration of the procedure was shorter in younger patients. Every patient was satisfied with the results obtained.
