Combined ventral and dorsal rhizotomies for dystonic and spastic extremities. Report of six cases.

Six children with secondary dystonia as the primary movement disorder in their extremities but with coexisting spasticity were treated with combined ventral and dorsal rhizotomies, resulting in long-term improvement in their dystonia and no adverse side effects. Combined rhizotomies can be considered in the treatment of children who are not candidates for intrathecal baclofen, particularly severely disabled children who have dystonia and spasticity in their extremities, but hypotonia in their neck and trunk.