Comparison of botulinic toxin type a and oropharyngeal electrostimulation in sialorrhea in children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

This work compares two alternative techniques in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy and sialorrhea, such as botulinum toxin and oropharyngeal electrical stimulation (Vital Stim). There were two study groups, one where botulinum toxin type A was used and in the other oropharyngeal electrical stimulation, both groups with motor oral therapy; the Drooling Measurement Form of the Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Royal Children's Hospital was applied, quantifying the amount of saliva weighing intraoral cotton rolls placed inside the mouth for 2 minutes. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS-18 packets and the Mann Whitney and Wilconxon tests. Thirty-two children were included, 16 for the botulinum toxin group (50%) and 16 for the oropharyngeal electrostimulation group (50%). The study showed that the use of botulinum toxin in the salivary glands (parotid and submaxillary) and treatment with oropharyngeal electrostimulation are useful in the treatment of sialorrhea in children with cerebral palsy with a positive impact on the quality of life, however there was superiority in the results with the use of botulinum toxin.