Motor Point Block By Phenol in Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Bang, Moon Suk; Han, Tai Ryoon; Lim, Jae Young

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the immediate effect of motor point block using phenol on the degree of spasticity and the gait patterns of children with spastic cerebral palsy and then to ascertain the cases to which these findings are most beneficial. Subjects & Methods: We injected 5% phenol into spastic muscles of 33 cases with spastic cerebral palsy under the electromyographic monitoring. The clinical evaluation for type and severity of cerebral palsy was performed before the block and then, observations on both the degree of spasticity using 'modified Ashworth scale' and the range of motion were made before and after the procedures. Finally, the gait patterns before and after block were analyzed by using locomotion rating scale for gait analysis.
Results
The degree of spasticity, which was measured with modified Ashworth scale, was reduced dramatically through our phenol block -i. E. from 2.8 to 1.2-. The limited range of motion in some cases was not increased significantly after block. The constant pes equinus state resulted in the state that heel contact is occasionally possible. There was also much improvement in genu recurvatum and scissoring tendency, while little change was observed in crouch gait and hind foot instability. The speed of gait, deviation to normal gait and instability in walking were improved significantly after block, but their locomotion state was still moderately incomplete. When comparing the different outcomes of motor point block with one another according to the cases in moderately disabled state improved most dramatically. The group with both high degree of spasticity and the full range of motion in their joints improved by far the better after motor point block.
Conclusion
The immediate effect of motor point block with phenol solution can be best described as a dramatic relief of spasticity and tip toeing, but other problems such as other abnormal gait patterns and locomotion activity or state improved little, if any. The moderately disabled children with both high degree of spasticity and the full range of motion in their joint could get the best of our findings.