What is the primary goal of Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR)?

Learn about Cerebral Palsy Impairments, Assessments, and Interventions. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy aims to reduce spasticity by selectively cutting dorsal nerve roots to decrease reflex activity, which can improve function in appropriate spastic diplegia. Spastic CP comes from overactive stretch reflexes that raise muscle tone; by removing a portion of sensory input at the level of the spinal root, the abnormal reflex drive is dampened, leading to lower tone and better voluntary control. This isn’t about strengthening muscles or lengthening tendons, and it isn’t used for dyskinetic CP, which involves involuntary movements rather than spasticity. The benefit hinges on choosing the right patients and combining the surgery with intensive postoperative therapy to train movement with the new, lower tone. Some sensory changes or mild weakness can occur, but the goal is to enable more functional movement through reduced spasticity.