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IMPROVING CHILDREN'S LIVES
Specialists in Loyola’s departments of
Orthopaedics, Neurology and Neurological Surgery are now using an innovative treatment, called the intrathecal Baclofen pump, to reduce spasticity in children with conditions such as cerebral palsy or who have injuries to the brain or spinal cord.
Spasticity causes muscles to become stiff and resistant to movement. This makes it dif˝cult to do the normal activities of daily life and can lead to complications in the joints of the spine, arms and legs. There is no cure for
spasticity, but it is usually managed through physical therapy, medications,
orthotics, casting or surgery.
The intrathecal Baclofen pump is used as an alternative to medications that often have
a sedative effect on children. Robert J. Bielski, M.D., chief of pediatric
orthopaedics, and Kenneth Silver, M.D., professor and director of pediatric neurology, carefully evaluate children to determine if the intrathecal administration of Baclofen can help them.
During the intrathecal Baclofen pump procedure, Andrew Chenelle, M.D., assistant
professor of neurological surgery, implants a permanent pump, approximately the size of a hockey puck, and a catheter that runs along the spine. The catheter releases medication directly into the spinal nerves to reduce
spasticity. The pump can continually deliver medication internally. This enables children to enjoy life more — with greater freedom
of movement and without the undesired effects they experience from oral medication.
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