The effects of different injection techniques of botulinum toxin a in post-stroke patients with plantar flexor spasticity

A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Guidance Techniques in Botulinum Toxin Injections and Their Hierarchy in the Treatment of Limb Spasticity

Accurate targeting of overactive muscles is fundamental for successful botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections in the treatment of spasticity. The necessity of instrumented guidance and the superiority of one or more guidance techniques are ambiguous. Here, we sought to investigate if guided BoNT injections lead to a better clinical outcome in adults with limb spasticity compared to non-guided injections. We also aimed to elucidate the hierarchy of common guidance techniques including electromyography, electrostimulation, manual needle placement and ultrasound. To this end, we conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis and systematic review with 245 patients using the MetaInsight software, R and the Cochrane Review Manager. Our study provided, for the first time, quantitative evidence supporting the superiority of guided BoNT injections over the non-guided ones. The hierarchy comprised ultrasound on the first level, electrostimulation on the second, electromyography on the third and manual needle placement on the last level. The difference between ultrasound and electrostimulation was minor and, thus, appropriate contextualization is essential for decision making. Taken together, guided BoNT injections based on ultrasound and electrostimulation performed by experienced practitioners lead to a better clinical outcome within the first month post-injection in adults with limb spasticity. In the present study, ultrasound performed slightly better, but large-scale trials should shed more light on which modality is superior.

Assessment, goal setting, and botulinum neurotoxin a therapy in the management of post-stroke spastic movement disorder: updated perspectives on best practice

INTRODUCTION

Post-stroke spastic movement disorder (PS-SMD) appears up to 20% in the first week following stroke and 40% in the chronic phase. It may create major hurdles to overcome in early stroke rehabilitation and as one relevant factor that reduces quality of life to a major degree in the chronic phase.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we discuss predictors,early identification, clinical assessments, goal setting, and management in multiprofessional team, including Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) injection for early and chronic management of PS-SMD.

EXPERT OPINION

The earlier PS-SMD is recognized and managed, the better the outcome will be. The comprehensive management in the subacute or chronic phase of PS-SMD with BoNT-A injections requires detailed assessment, patient-centered goal setting, technical-guided injection, effective dosing of BoNT-A per site, muscle, and session and timed adjunctive treatment, delivered in a multi-professional team approach in conjunction with physical treatment. Evidence-based data showed BoNT-A injections are safe and effective in managing focal, multifocal, segmental PS-SMD and its complications. If indicated, BoNT-A therapy should be accompanied with adjunctive treatment in adequate time slots. BoNT-A could be added to oral, intrathecal, and surgical treatment in severe multisegmental or generalized PS-SMD to reach patient/caregiver's goals, especially in chronic PS-SMD.

Botulinum Neurotoxin-A Injection in Adult Cervical Dystonia and Spastic Paresis: Results From the INPUT (INjection Practice, Usage and Training) Survey

Botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) is an effective treatment for cervical dystonia (CD) and spastic paresis (SP), but it requires in-depth knowledge of anatomy and injection techniques. The Ixcellence Network® is an educational programme to provide neurology, neuropaediatrics, and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) specialists with access to best clinical practices and innovations regarding SP and CD management with BoNT-A. To assess the benefits of such educational programmes and identify unmet needs, a multidisciplinary scientific committee designed INPUT (INjection Practice, Usage & Training), an international multicentric survey describing training and practices among this trained and experienced population. A self-completed questionnaire was sent online to 553 trainees and 14 trainers from the Ixcellence Network®. Among the 131 respondents, 92% specialized in PMR (48%) or neurology (44%), with a mean experience of 15.5 years in their clinical fields and 10.9 years of BoNT-A injection. Most of them (98%) reported having received training before performing their first BoNT-A injection and attending specific courses on how to perform it without any instrumental guidance (76%), and with ultrasound (73%), electrical stimulation (44%) or electromyography (41%). In terms of practices, 92% of respondents reported using at least one guidance technique while injecting, with ultrasound being the most used technique (48%). Attending specific courses was significantly associated with greater self-confidence and use, e.g. for injection with ultrasound, mean self-confidence, on a scale from 1 (not confident) to 10 (fully confident), was 7.9 for trained respondents (vs 4.0 for untrained respondents, p < 0.001) of whom 70% stated that they used this technique regularly or systematically (vs. 11% of untrained healthcare professionals (HCPs), p < 0.0001). Moreover, 84% of respondents reported having trained colleagues, residents or fellows through theoretical (70%) or practical teaching in individuals (80%) or in small groups (65%). Overall, 86% of respondents reported a notable increase over the past 5 years of the number of patients treated with BoNT-A. INPUT is the first international survey describing training and practices in SP and CD management of physicians who attended a dedicated educational programme. The results highlighted the importance of training for self-confidence, and the use of specific techniques and new approaches.

Quantitative Modeling of Spasticity for Clinical Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation

Spasticity, a common symptom in patients with upper motor neuron lesions, reduces the ability of a person to freely move their limbs by generating unwanted reflexes. Spasticity can interfere with rehabilitation programs and cause pain, muscle atrophy and musculoskeletal deformities. Despite its prevalence, it is not commonly understood. Widely used clinical scores are neither accurate nor reliable for spasticity assessment and follow up of treatments. Advancement of wearable sensors, signal processing and robotic platforms have enabled new developments and modeling approaches to better quantify spasticity. In this paper, we review quantitative modeling techniques that have been used for evaluating spasticity. These models generate objective measures to assess spasticity and use different approaches, such as purely mechanical modeling, musculoskeletal and neurological modeling, and threshold control-based modeling. We compare their advantages and limitations and discuss the recommendations for future studies. Finally, we discuss the focus on treatment and rehabilitation and the need for further investigation in those directions.

Guideline for Botulinum Toxin Injections in the Effective Treatment of Fibular Spasticity

This study used a modified Sihler's staining method to analyze the nerve distributions of the fibularis muscle to identify the most effective sites for botulinum toxin injection for fibular spasticity treatment. Ten specimens of the fibularis longus and brevis were obtained bilaterally from five fixed cadavers. The applied method of modified Sihler's staining was designed to reveal the intramuscular nerve distribution of the fibularis muscles. We divided the fibularis muscles into four quarters, which were defined as Sections 1-4 starting from the proximal part of the leg. There were one, two, and three nerve entry points in one (10%), six (60%), and three (30%) of the fibularis longus specimens, respectively, and in four (40%), five (50%), and one (10%) of the fibularis brevis specimens, respectively. We counted the number of nerve endings in each section: 321 and 195 points were identified in the fibularis longus and brevis, respectively. The densities of nerve endings were highest in Section 2 of the fibularis longus (147 of 321, 46%) and in Section 3 of the fibularis brevis (78 of 195, 40%). The landmarks used in this study (the fibular head and lateral malleolus) are easily palpable on the skin's surface, allowing clinicians to target the effective injection site (Section 2) without requiring ultrasound guidance, especially for the fibularis longus. Clin. Anat. 33:365-369, 2020. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.