Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Laminotomy for Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglion Access and Injection in Swine
Published on: October 10, 2017
Infra-Conus Single-Level Laminectomy for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy: Technical Advance
James Bales1, Susan Apkon, Marisa Osorio
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash., USA.
Background/Aims:
Selective dorsal rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy is an effective and well-validated surgical approach. Multiple techniques have been described in the past including multiple laminectomies and a single-level laminectomy at the level of the conus. There is considerable technical challenge involved with a single-level laminectomy approach.
Methods:
We report here a modification of the single-level laminectomy that selectively analyzes each individual nerve root with electromyography to separate dorsal and ventral nerve roots through comparison of stimulus responses.
Results:
In 18 children with cerebral palsy who underwent this operation there was a mean improvement in the Modified Ashworth Scale of 2.0 with no reported incidence of muscle weakness, sensory loss, or neurogenic bladder.
Conclusion:
This approach allows for a modification of selective dorsal rhizotomy through a single-level laminectomy and tailors the selection of nerve root sectioning to the individual patient of interest while still maintaining its effectiveness.
