Intrathecal baclofen therapy for Lesch-Nyhan disease: illustrative case

Abstract

BACKGROUND Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND) is a very rare metabolic disorder involving the purine salvage pathway. LND manifests hyperuricemia, self-mutilation, cognitive impairment, and movement disorders such as spasticity and dystonia, whose control is difficult pharmaceutically. OBSERVATIONS Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy was received by a 22-year-old male for generalized dystonia. His paroxysmal abnormal dystonic posturing reduced after surgery, making the task of caregivers easier despite the unchanged assignment on the dystonia scale during a follow-up period of 4 years. LESSONS ITB may be a safe and feasible option for dystonic symptoms and difficulty with nursing care in patients with LND. https://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/CASE202.