Electrical spinal cord stimulation for spastic movement disorders

Clinical results of electrical stimulation of the spinal cord at three different clinics are reported for 53 patients suffering from different spastic movement disorders out of a series of 164 cases tested transitorily. Two-thirds of the cases were multiple sclerosis patients. The difficulty of objective assessment is emphasized. Motor function was principally evaluated and surprisingly showed a marked improvement 1-5 years after the implantation of an electrical device. Other criteria are analyzed and compared with literature. Dorsal cord stimulation seems to be a valuable method for improving the quality of life in a limited percentage of cases of neurological motor disorders.