The use of botulinum toxin in the management of spasticity following spinal cord injury

الملخص EN

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Botulinum toxin in the management of spasticity following spinal cord injury.

Setting: Regional spinal injury & neuro-rehabilitation centre, at a tertjary care teaching hospital.

Study design: Open label, case scries.

Patients: Fourteen patients with spasticity following spinal cord injury.

Intervention; Administration of Botulinum toxin into spastic muscle groups.

Main outcome measure: Functional benefils from reduction of local spasticity were assessed clinically within the three months of the injection and also subsequently followed up by telephone interviews.

Results: Reduction in spasticity was clinically demonstrated in ten of the eleven muscle groups injected with borulinum toxin.

Of the twelve patients who had reduction in spasticity, nine patients were satisfied with the response.

One patient had increased unwanted weakness temporarily and transient impairment of function.

Two patients demonstrated no clinical response nor reported any functional benefit.

Conclusion: Botulinum toxin administration is an effective adjuvant in the management of localised spasticity following spinal cord injury in selected groups of patients for specific goals.

However, this needs to be undertaken by a team fully conversant with the management of spasticity in the appropriate clinical context.