Stereotaxic surgery in the hyperkinetic form of infantile cerebral palsy

The results of 67 stereotaxic operations performed in 60 patients for the hyperkinetic form of infantile cerebral paralysis are presented. The efficacy of dentatotomy is compared with that of thalamotomy. Thalamotomy is most effective in patients with hemiatetosis and choreoatetoid hyperkinesis. Dentatotomy resulted not only in a reduction of hyperkinesis, but also in a considerable alleviation of muscle spasticity. The destruction of the lateral part of nuclels dentatus caused predominantly a reduction of the muscle tone and of involuntary movements of the lower extremities, and--to a lesser degree--of the upper as well. The destruction of the medial part of the nucleus dentatus resulted in a clear reduction of muscle dystony in the trunk.