Cerebral Palsy Lawyer & Attorney : Burke & Eisner Law Firm : Medical Malpractice Lawyers & Attorneys

For those of you following the botix news and investigation here is a quick link to an article.  Allegan has received a subpoena concerning the promotion of Botox.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allergan Inc said on Monday that it received a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice investigating the promotion of Botox, a drug best known for its cosmetic use.

The drug maker said authorities were seeking documents regarding promotional, educational and other activities relating to Botox.

Allergan said it believes the subpoena is related to alleged off-label promotion of Botox to treat headaches.

Botox, which is best known for smoothing facial wrinkles, is not approved as a headache treatment.

Although Allergan is conducting trials to investigate the use of the drug to treat headaches, the company said that its policy is to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in promoting its products.

But it noted that doctors are free to prescribe the drug for uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Source:  Reuters.com

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Botox has been used in Children to treat spasticity.  This recent news is something all parents should look at before considering using botox to treat spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that Allergan's Botox and Botox Cosmetic as well as Solstice Neuroscience's Myobloc have been linked to adverse reactions including respiratory failure and death, following treatment of a variety of conditions using a wide range of doses.

The agency said the reactions may be related to overdosing and were found in both FDA-approved and nonapproved usages, but there is no evidence that they're related to any defect in the products.

The most severe adverse effects were found in children treated for spasticity in their limbs associated with cerebral palsy, which isn't an FDA-approved use of botulism toxins in children or adults.

The agency is currently reviewing safety data from clinical studies submitted by the drugs' manufacturers, as well as post-marketing adverse event reports and medical literature.

Sources:

The Street.com | Consumer Affairs

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I was recently asked about Frenkel's exercise and it's effectiveness for Treating Ataxic Cerebral Palsy.  We cannot specifically recommend treatment for people.  That is something that you have to work with your doctors on.

I did take the time to find a post a few links that relate to Frenkels exercises.

National Ataxia Foundation

International Network of Ataxic Friends-- Exercise

A Digitized Book on Google on Tabetic Ataxia by  Frenkel

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If you are into reading scientific studies on the efficacy of surgery to improve muscle strength in patients with a cerebral palsy diagnosis then here is a new one.

Muscle strength changes following multi-level surgery in cerebral palsy and the impact of rehabilitation on functional recovery are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to quantify lower limb muscle strength changes in children with spastic diplegia after multi-level orthopaedic surgery and to compare the efficacy of progressive resistance strengthening (RS) versus active exercise (AE).Twenty children with spastic diplegia (mean age 12.5 years) participated in this prospective randomised controlled trial

This is a link to the introduction.  To read the full article you will already have to have a reader that gets you into Elsevier.

Recovery of muscle strength following multi-level orthopaedic surgery in diplegic cerebral palsy

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For those readers who want the latest in scientific studies, here's one that studied "the reliability of popliteal angle measurement"  This method is used to measure hamstring contracture in cerebral palsy patients

I'll let the conclusion speak for itself:

Measurements in the CP group seemed to be less reliable than measurements in the control group. Intraobserver reliability is reasonable for both groups, but lower in CP patients than in controls. Interobserver reliability of both visual estimates and goniometrical measurements is poor. No significant differences in reliability have been found between visual estimation and goniometric measurement. Because of poor interobserver reliability of popliteal angle measurement, this should not be the only variable in clinical decision making in CP patients.

Source:  Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics

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I've previously posted about how I admire technology advances and how it assists accident victims, particularly those with a brain injury.  See my Wii entry.  Today I read about a young lady in the UK who is using technology to enable her to communicate.  In many case when you are dealing with cerebral palsy, you have a person who understands everything that is happening, but cannot communicate because of limitations on their muscle control.

Natalie is able to speak via a voice facility, text, email, play CDs, send and receive picture messages, and write shopping lists.

Demonstrating her new state-of-the-art technology, Natalie, 21, of Rampside, said: “It’s fab — having a communication aid has changed my life.

Her next quote gets right to the heart of the matter.  This is what can make technology great.  It gives people the chance to drastically improve their life.

“Being able to communicate is a basic human right. It is about being able to communicate the sort of choices that most people can take for granted. It is about being able to communicate a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

Source:  NorthWest Evening Mail

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I was fascinated when I saw this this morning.  I am a real technology geek.  I love to see new creative uses of existing products.

The video game that couldn't stay on store shelves at Christmas is fast earning a second life as a useful tool in helping victims of debilitating diseases and accidents get back on their feet.

...

"In therapy, it allows patients to work on weight bearing and increasing coordination, increasing strength and stability, increasing fine and gross motor skills," she says. "Any of the games can be used to address problem solving, attention, short-term and long-term memory, decision making and scanning."

Check out the full article at USA Today.com

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While scanning through some news stories on Cerebral Palsy, I came across this brief article from UPI.  It is trying to bring treatment into the home.  This is a great use of the internet.

Cerebral palsy therapy hits the Internet

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 5 (UPI) -- A University of Michigan program is providing movement-based therapy for adults with cerebral palsy via the Internet.

The program, called ULTrA, requires a home computer and Internet connection, and uses streaming video to connect patients. It allows adult cerebral palsy patients to connect to "virtual trainers" and real-life experts at the Motor Control Lab to complete movement-based therapy programs. The program also collects data to determine how well the in-home therapy is working.

"We're targeting a growing yet neglected segment of the population ... to essentially bring our lab and experts into the patients' homes to engage them in a movement-based training program," Susan Brown, director of the Motor Control Lab at the university, said in a statement.

Link to the Article:

http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20070405-115907-8379r

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A number of articles are out today covering a new study, that reviewed a number of other studies that looked into episiotomies. Their conclusion was that episiotomies were not necessary in routine deliveries.

Sources:

MSNBC.com
ABCNews.com
Chicago Sun-Times.com

Update: 5/9/05 Detroit News Article

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