About the SDR Service | Right Decisions

NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde are doing SDR for to help children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). The surgery is offered at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. SDR means Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy.

SDR can make life easier for some children with CP. It helps by bringing down levels of stiff muscle in the legs. Spasticity is the cause of this. This happens when the children are working their bodies against the pull of resistance.

This video shows a child with their parent/ carer. They have been through the journey of SDR at Glasgow's Children's Hospital. They share their thoughts on the journey.

The SDR professional team

A wide panel of experts sit on the team. They take into account all the things that may affect the child during their growth stages. The process is to help select the right patients.

Mrs Valerie Orr (Consultant in Paediatric Neurodisability) runs the Complex Tone Service and offers advice on all things CP.

Our Specialist Orthopaedic Paediatric team: Mrs Janet McCaul and Mr Mohammed Osman. They offer help with other choices to help keep muscle length which allow bones to grow best. These can be carried out before or after SDR.

Mr Anthony Amato Watkins (Senior Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Neurosurgery) and Mr Michael Canty (Consultant Neurosurgeon) are the neuro-surgical team. They do the SDR.

photo image — Janet McCaul, Paediatric Orthopaedic Consultant

The Glasgow Clinical Gait Analysis Service is used to show the need for SDR. The service is used for children that are walking without aids and looks at normal walking for them. Dr Bruce Carse is the head of the gait lab and a clinical scientist. Mrs Laura Wiggins is principal physio there. They provide graphs and measures of how the child is walking compared to normal. They also suggest what would be best to help them improve.

Magalie MacKay (Mags) is a special SDR physio. She is the key person involved in the patient journey. She plays a special role with liaison between community teams and the SDR group. Mags will also establish if SDR is the right path for the individual child. She will also take the lead on rehab during hospital stays.