Table 1.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR): reported complications

Type of complication	Incidence, %	Reporting study
Short term (<1y after SDR)
Pulmonary	~9	Abbott;24 Steinbok and Schrag;35 Nordmark et al.37
Gastrointestinal	20–80	Steinbok and Schrag;35 Abbott24
Urinary tract	7–12	Steinbok and Schrag;35 Abbott;24 Nordmark et al.37
Problems with the surgical wound	1	Abbott;24 Peter and Arens;44 Steinbok and Schrag35
Sensory alterations	~50	Abbott;24 Steinbok and Schrag;35 Peter and Arens;44 Tedroff et al.20
Leakage of cerebrospinal fluid	11	Nordmark et al.37
Late (≥1y after SDR)
Hyperlordosis	16–40	Golan et al.;26 Crawford et al.;25 Bolster et al.;9 Johnson et al.;29 Grunt et al.;48 Spiegel et al.;32 Steinbok et al.;33 Langerak et al.;30 Turi and Kalen38
Scoliosis	11–57	Spiegel et al.;32 Steinbok et al.;33 Grunt et al.;48 Bolster et al.;9 Nordmark et al.;37 Ravindra et al.;39 Turi and Kalen38
Spondylolisthesis, Spondylolysis	1–20	Grunt et al.;48 Johnson et al.;29 Li et al.;31 Peter and Arens;44 Peter et al.;49 Spiegel et al.;32 Nordmark et al.;37 Bolster et al.;9 Peter et al.;40 Langerak et al.41
Spinal stenosis	27	Gooch and Walker27
Impaired bladder control	1–29	Montgomery;42 Steinbok and Schrag;35 Abbott;24 Langerak et al.;14 Park et al.43
Increased dystonia	20–60	van de Pol et al.36
Muscle spasms	14–57	Montgomery;42 Nordmark et al.;37
Leg and back pain	29–71	Park et al.;43 Peter and Arens;44 Langerak et al.30
Sensory changes – paresthesia	4–86	Montgomery;42 Nordmark et al.37 Park et al.;43 Peter and Arens;44 Grootveld et al.28
Obesity	15	Westbom et al.68