Cerebral Palsy SDR Surgery

Posted in Birth Injury, Blog on June 13, 2014

Medical News Today recently reported on a brave boy named Daniel from the UK. At just six years old, he has undergone a potentially life-changing operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR).

Daniel has what is known as Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, which means that his particular form of Cerebral Palsy includes a stiffness of the muscles (spastic) and affects all four limbs of his body (quad). Most people with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy cannot walk because of their stiff muscles and some find it very difficult to talk. Luckily for Daniel, he is able to talk, however, his ability to breathe easily is hindered by the spastic portion of his condition which unfortunately can also affect his breathing muscles.

A groundbreaking operation has been slowly gaining popularity for people like Daniel. Cerebral Palsy SDR Surgery involves cutting the nerve roots associated with the spastic portion of the condition in a minimally invasive way (compared to older techniques) so that the patient no longer has the stiffness characteristic of Spastic Quadriplegic CP.

Fortunately, Daniel’s operation went very smoothly. He has a long road of recovery ahead, but in just a few months, his parents have noticed significant improvements in his ability to accomplish new feats in physical therapy. Without the spastic stiffness holding him back, Daniel’s outlook is much more positive and he considers his operation to be a miracle. Click here to read Daniel’s full story as originally reported.

For more on Cerebral Palsy and its causes, visit our Cerebral Palsy page. To read about frequently asked questions our firm has been asked on Cerebral Palsy & how it can relate to medical malpractice, visit our Cerebral Palsy FAQs page.