Impact of surgery on rehabilitation care and quality of life perceived by patient with post-stroke upper limb spasticity: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Stroke is the principal cause of permanent disability in adult age, and many patients require lifelong medical treatment and care from others for their daily activities. It has enormous repercussions on the work and social lives of patients and their families and involves major economic expenditure. Post-stroke spastic upper limb is usually treated with rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and periodical injections of botulinum toxin, while surgical correction is now seldom considered. However, there has been no clinical trial to compare between surgical and toxin treatments. The primary aim of this study is to compare outcomes between surgery and a conventional approach with botulinum toxin in patients with post-stroke upper limb spasticity.