According to Wikipedia, “a rhizotomy is a term chiefly referring to a neurosurgical procedure that selectively destroys problematic nerve roots in the spinal cord.”  The first rhizotomy was performed in the 1880’s and Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) is performed on spastic cerebral palsy patients.

SDR involves sectioning off and then cutting some of the sensory nerve fibers that comes from the muscles and enter the spinal cord.  A neurosurgeon tests rootlets electrically and examines the electromyographic (EMG) responses from the muscles in the lower extremities and identifies which rootlets are causing spasticity.  The abnormal rootlets are then cut which then allow the remaining nerves to carry the correct messages to the muscles.

SDR is performed differently depending on where you go.  Evie went to St. Louis, Missouri where they perform a single level laminectomy to facilitate the rhizotomy.

For more information on SDR please click here.