This is the third in a series of blog posts on selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) in adulthood by Lily Collison — the inaugural author for Knowledge Translation Tuesday for the Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN).  You can comment and discuss the article with Lily on MyCP.org.

We hear a lot about evidence-based medicine. Evidence-based medicine combines the best available external clinical evidence from research with the clinical expertise of the professional. When Tommy was undergoing Single Event Multi-Level Surgery (SEMLS) at age nine in 2004, there were a number of outcome studies from different international centers supporting SEMLS. These outcome studies together with the expertise clearly evident at Gillette, gave my husband and me the confidence to take our nine year old abroad for surgery. This year, sixteen years later–whilst there are a large number of studies from many centers supporting SDR in childhood (including long-term outcome studies)–there is a dearth of research evidence supporting SDR in adulthood. I could find just two studies from one center. Research conducted by CPRN has shown that 5% of individuals who underwent SDR, were aged over 18 years. There is a need for more outcome studies evaluating SDR in adulthood.

Decision-making for undergoing surgical procedures such as SEMLS and SDR is interesting. Parents of young children and later the adolescent and adult themselves are co-decision makers with the clinician in the medical process. We, Tommy’s parents, were largely the decision makers for Tommy’s SEMLS at age nine. (He and I clearly recall discussing the proposed surgery on a long car journey–he was happy to proceed if we felt it was the right thing to do.) The decision to proceed with SDR this year was totally Tommy’s. Whilst it’s easy to understand that parents largely make the decision for children undergoing procedures and adults make the decision for themselves, there is a “grey area” when it comes to adolescents. Thomason and Graham (2013) made the very interesting point that adolescents must be given the freedom to make their own informed decisions about surgery and rehabilitation. They added that an adolescent who feels they have been forced into surgery against their will or without their full consent is likely to be resentful and may develop depression and struggle with rehabilitation. I fully support this view.

For Tommy’s surgery this year, he asked if as a “fly on the wall”, I would accompany him to the multidisciplinary appointment to decide if he was a suitable SDR candidate. Watching from that vantage point, a few thoughts struck me:

• The evaluation truly was multidisciplinary. The three consultants discussed the surgery in detail together and with Tommy–it was a robust four-way discussion. The clinicians’ decision, that Tommy was a good SDR candidate was unanimous.
• I was happy to observe that Tommy fully understood what was involved. When the possibility of SDR was first raised, he told me that he read that section in my book and felt it explained SDR very clearly for him (positive endorsement–our offspring are often our harshest critics!) Tommy was making an informed decision to proceed with the surgery–he was an effective co–decision maker in the medical process.
• The fact that Gillette offers continuity of care for individuals with CP–from childhood right through to adulthood–is hugely important. Tommy has been receiving care at Gillette since he was nine. This continuity of care has benefits on so many levels. It also makes “handing over the baton for healthcare management” from parent to adolescent, so much easier.
• As a parent, changing role from being an active participant in the medical process, to being a “fly on the wall” (and only then by invitation), takes discipline, but is so worth it.

Thomason P, Graham HK (2013) Rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy after single-event multilevel surgery. In: Robert Iansek R, Morris ME, editors, Rehabilitation in Movement Disorders. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp 203–217.

Author note: The photo was taken off the northern Californian coast. It was also there that I took last week’s photo of pelicans flying in V-shaped formation. One of the goals of SDR surgery is to reduce the energy cost of walking. Flying in a V-shaped formation is one of the tricks birds use to reduce the energy cost of flying.