Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.3233/JPN-2009-0293
Treatment of drooling in children with cerebral palsy using ultrasound guided intraglandular injections of botulinum toxin A
Subject Editor:
Publication History
25 December 2008
23 January 2009
Publication Date:
30 July 2015 (online)
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether botulinum toxin A (BTX-A), injected into both parotid and submandibular salivary glands of children with cerebral palsy and sialorrhea, could decrease their drooling and improve their quality of life. Twenty-one children aged 4 to 12 years (mean age 8.4 years) received 60–80 units BTX-A (mean dose 3.6 U/kg) under sedation using ultrasound guidance. Response was assessed by several methods (drool frequency and severity score, drool quotient, number of bib changes per day and a visual analogue score) at baseline, 2, 8 and 16 weeks post-injection. A questionnaire related to quality of life and caregiver satisfaction was administered at baseline and week 8. Adverse events were recorded at each visit. Drool frequency and severity scores were significantly reduced at weeks 2, 8 and 16 compared to baseline (P < 0.001). Significant reductions were also seen for the visual analogue scale, number of bibs changed daily and drool quotient (P < 0.001). Mean quality of life scores dropped from 35 ± 4.8 at baseline to 29 ± 5.2) at week 8 (P < 0.001). Caregiver satisfaction was high at weeks 2, 8 and 16. Pain or swelling (19%), excessively thick saliva (9.5%), fever (9.5%) and chewing difficulties (4.8%) were transient and subsided within 2 weeks of the injection. Eighteen (87.5%) caregivers indicated they wanted repeat injections in the future. In conclusion, percutaneous intraglandular injection of BTX-A was safe and had a sustained effect for up to 16 weeks, with a concomitant improvement in their quality of life and caregiver satisfaction.