A 6-Year-Old Girl with Cerebral Palsy Has Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

A 6-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery performed. The patient was born early and with a low birth weight, and he suffered periventricular cerebral white matter damage. Dorsal rootlets of lumbosacral spinal nerves are selectively cut during the surgery, as seen in the figure below: Which of the following is the most likely effect of this intervention in this patient's lower extremities?

A) Decreased muscle mass
B) Decreased muscle tone
C) Increased tendon reflexes
D) Muscle fasciculations
E) Muscle paralysis

Correct Answer:

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