Cerebral Palsy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cerebral Palsy, including details on symptoms, causes, types.

Neuropathic pain following multilevel surgery in children with cerebral palsy: a case series and review.

Lauder GR, White MC

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol, UK. Gillian.Lauder@ubht.swest.nhs.uk

Six children with cerebral palsy are presented who developed neuropathic pain following multilevel orthopedic surgery. This significant complication is previously unreported. The diagnosis and treatment options are reviewed. Treatment should be kept as simple and noninvasive as possible, and aim to enable physiotherapy to continue. Early recognition and interdisciplinary treatment is important to prevent a downward spiral of increasing pain and decreased function. A good outcome in respect of improved pain and functioning was achieved in five of these six children. It is our opinion that this complication should form part of informed consent for multilevel surgery and that anesthetists should be aware of this complication when managing postoperative pain control.

Published 14 April 2005 in Paediatr Anaesth, 15(5): 412-20.
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