One neurosurgical operation changed the life of a small patient. Ivanka has cerebral palsy (CP). Due to constant muscle tension and the inability to control the movements of his limbs, until now the boy could only walk with his legs crossed in a walker or holding his mother’s hand. But now, at the age of three, he is taking his first steps, standing on straight legs.
Selective dorsal rhizotomy, or SDR, is a chance for people like Ivan. During the intervention, surgeons cross the pathological sensitive nerves of the spinal cord, while preserving the function of movements and pelvic organs. And all through a miniature mini access of four centimeters. This allows to reduce spasticity in the lower limbs, and also reduces the need for corrective orthopedic operations, which children often need in such cases, by 70-80%.
This modern technique was developed in the USA by Dr. TAE SUNG PARK. Our neurosurgeons are one of the few in Ukraine who adopted it for the first time and are actively implementing it. In particular, Mykhailo Lovga, head of the neurosurgical department of St. Nicholas Hospital, together with a team of neurophysiologists led by Maria Pavlyuk, have already performed about 20 such surgical interventions. The success of such an operation is precisely in teamwork – from the stages of determining the criteria to the operation, throughout the entire period of treatment, up to the discharge of the patient.
Doctors expect to see all Ivan’s successes after the second course of rehabilitation. But after the operation, the boy got better – now he sits, stands on his full foot and does not cross his legs when walking. There is also an improvement in hand movements.
Little Ivan dreams of a green scooter. The boy’s mother believes that now his dream will become achievable. Unfortunately, cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common causes of disability in childhood. Such surgical interventions give children a chance to improve their quality of life, as well as quick results – spasticity decreases immediately after the operation.