Leeds hospital offers region's first specialist walking surgery for children with cerebral palsy

Leeds General Infirmary has become the first hospital in the region to undertake specialist walking surgery for children with cerebral palsy. A highly specialised operation to help improve the walking ability of certain children with cerebral palsy has now been carried out three times.

Until recently youngsters from our region and the rest of the UK had to travel to the United States for the micro-neurosurgical procedure, known as Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR). Back in 2011, Calendar followed Ben Smithson from Ilkley in West Yorkshire, as he travelled to America with his family, for just such an operation. it was an operation that would change his life.

Now, consultant neurosurgeon Mr John Goodden has successfully carried out three of the operations on young patients in the Leeds Children's Hospital at Leeds General Infirmary. A further two operations are being planned for early in 2013.

Leeds is one of very few specialist centres in the UK which can now undertake the procedure. SDR is a specialised procedure which involves identifying and cutting selected spinal nerves causing stiffness which makes it difficult for the child to walk. The surgery improves their walking, potentially allowing them to walk for the first time and in some cases, allowing them to walk without aids.