SPASTICITY PATTERNS OF HAND MUSCLES AND BOTULINUM TOXIN THERAPY APPLICATION IN PATIENTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY WITH UPPER LIMB INVOLVEMENT

Abstract

Botulinum toxin therapy is an effective and safe method of treatment of local spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). Calculation of botulinum toxin A (BTA) dosage based on the spasticity patterns and functional capabilities of the patient proved effective for the hypertonic lower limb muscle spasm treatment and is being applied to BTA injections in hand muscles more often. The article presents contemporary scientific data and results of the original study of BTA injections efficacy for pathologic tension reduction in hand muscles of 52 patients with CP. The authors give detailed description of the upper limb spasticity patterns, their frequency and role in the pathological movement pattern formation. The authors propose BTA dosage calculation for the functional segments of upper limbs, which allows minimizing the total amount of the administered drug and avoiding excessive weakness. The authors have also conducted a follow-up analysis of changes in hand muscle tone for the period of 6 months after the first BTA injection, compared results of botulinum toxin therapy at various clinical forms of CP and given recommendations on the optimum duration of the follow-up period.

Keywords

• cerebral palsy
• spastic diplegia
• hemiparetic form
• spasticity
• spasticity patterns
• botulinum toxin therapy
• botulinum toxin a
• ultrasonic control
• hand
• rehabilitation
• ashworth scale
• muscle weakness scale