ST.LOUIS, December 31, 2003 -- Jake Perez has lived for 28 years with a mild case of cerebral palsy, but thanks to the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy team at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, he’s now walking more normally.
When Jake was born three months prematurely, he left the hospital healthy and without sign of neurological damage. But, before Jake turned one, his mother noticed that there was something out of sorts; it was difficult for him to stand up in his crib.
It turned out that Jake had a minor case of cerebral palsy, a partial or complete paralysis of muscles because of damage to the cerebrum, the large hemispheres of the brain that control movement, sensation and higher mental function. Although his legs were stiff, Jake had outstanding motor coordination, a slight deformity of the legs and a strong desire to walk normally.
Thanks to a spinal cord operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy, Jake is now realizing what it’s like to take “normal" steps. The surgery was performed by T. S. Park, MD, St. Louis Children's Hospital neurosurgeon-in-chief, one of the nation’s leading pediatric neurosurgeons. Dr. Park performed his first selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedure on a child with cerebral palsy in 1987. In 2003, he completed his 1,000th SDR procedure, more than any other surgeon in the world. He is one of the few physicians to perform this surgery on adults.
In order for an adult to undergo this procedure, he or she must have a mild case of cerebral palsy, little or no deformity and be able to walk independently. During the procedure, Dr. Park uses a drill to remove a piece of vertebra in the lower back, which covers the spinal cord. He then selectively cuts nerves to alleviate the symptoms of CP the patient is experiencing.
"We calm down the spinal cord," Dr. Park said. "We kind of balance out the input and output of the spinal cord activities."
Selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery is not, however, without risk. Patients chance weakness, paralysis or loss of bowel and bladder function. In Jake’s case, Dr. Park was optimistic.
"Jake will be able to walk normally after the surgery," he said. "The stiffness will be gone permanently."
It appears that in just over a month after his surgery -- performed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital -- with rigorous physical therapy, Jake is feeling fantastic and realizing that his movement has been drastically improved. Read more about Jake’s story in his online journal.
St. Louis Children's Hospital has provided specialized care for children for more than 120 years. Children's Hospital is affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine, ranked the second best medical school in the country by US News & World Report. In 2003, Child magazine ranked St. Louis Children's Hospital sixth on its list of the 10 Best children's hospitals in the country, and fourth in neonatology/neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). St. Louis Children's Hospital also is a member of BJC HealthCare.