Soft-tissue Releases to Treat Spastic Hip Subluxation in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Effect of Age at the Time of Surgery / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

Objectives : Muscle imbalance poses a problem for adequate motor function in patients with cerebral palsy. The adductor and flexor muscles around the hip become dominant, leading to a high risk of hip dislocation. When left untreated, flexion and adduction contracture progresses, leading to various impairments ; hence, it is important to undertake preventive measures at an early stage. Selective muscle release is one form of surgical treatment that has been proven effective, but there is no consensus on the timing of the surgery. Here, we investigated the difference in outcome after muscle release surgery with respect to age. Subjects and methods : The subjects were 26 patients (52 hips) from our medical center who underwent muscle release (partial modification of Matsuo's method) around the hip and were followed up for at least 6 months. Abduction was retained postoperatively by using a cast or prosthetic device. Migration percentage (MP) was measured by simple hip radiography image, and the rates of improvement (preoperative MP . final MP during observation/preoperative MP ×100%) were compared. Results : Higher rates of improvement were observed among patients aged 5 years or less at the time of surgery than those among patients aged 6 years or more. Conclusion : We consider that surgery performed at the age of 5 years or less could lead to favorable results.

Our Experience with Steel's Triple Innominate Osteotomy On Paralytic Hips and Septic Hip Residua / 대한정형외과학회잡지

In 1973, Steel described triple innominate osteotomy in which the ischium, the superior pubic ramus and ilium superior to the acetabulum are divided and the acetabulum is repositioned anterolaterally and is stabilized by a bone graft and metal pins. Its goal is to establish a stable hip for dislocation or subluxation of the hips in older children and adults on whom it is impossible to correct effectively the instability by any one of the more conventional osteotomies, i.e. Salter's, Pemberton's or Chiari's, or by the capsular arthroplasty of Colonna. During the eleven years and eight months, from December 1973 to August 1985, at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, we performed Steel's triple innominate osteotomy on 41 cases, of which 37 were residual poliomyelitis and 4 septic hip residua. 4 cases of residual poliomyelitis were lost during follow up. The remaining 37 cases were reviewed for the efficacy and limitations of triple innominate osteotomy. We observed following conclusions: 1. Aside from congenital dislocation and dysplasia of the hip, paralytic conditions, such as residual poliomyelitis, are good indications of Steel's triple innominate osteotomy in older children, adolescents and young adults. Acetabular acclivity is adequately reduced and stability is improved. 2. Septic hip residua, including healed tuberculosis, is another indication of triple innominate osteotomy, particularly when total hip arthroplasty is contemplated. 3. When abductors are partially paralyzed, triple innominate osteotomy alone results in appreciable increase in abductor power, by providing a better muscle tension. 4. Substantial gain in leg length is an added advantage of triple innominate osteotomy. An average of 1.74 cm was gained at osteotomy site in our series. In adults, when limb shortening is relatively m i nor, triple innominate osteotomy alone can be a more convenient alternative to conventional, more formidable method of leg length equalization, such as femoral lengthening. This is particularly true when there is some instability or when abductors are weak. 5. Following improvement in mechanical stability by triple innominate osteotomy, weak abductors and extensors may be augmented by appropriate muscle transfer, resulting in more stable hip functionally. 6. In a hypermobile paralytic hip, iliopsoas tenotomy is neither necessary nor desirable at the time of osteotomy. When the hip is dislocated, or when the hip has marked flexion deformity, iliopsoas tenotomy fascillitates adequate correction, but this greatly increases the risk of neurological complication.

Total Hip Arthroplasty on Paralytic Hips: Two Case Report on Poliomyelitic and Cerebral Palsied Hips / 대한정형외과학회잡지

We performed total hip arthroplasty on a young male adult with paralytic dislocation of the hip due to poliomyelitis. Because of extreme shortening, as well as instability and weakness, the patient was unable to bear weight on the limb. Pastoperative course was complicated by ectopic ossification that compromised the hip and knee motion. Another young male adult with severe spastic cerebral palsy underwent total hip arthroplasty because of an intractable pain due to degenerative arthritis. Initial attempt coupled with adductor tenotomy and obtuator neurectomy ended in gross loosening and acetabular protrusion. Revision consisted of extensive soft tissue release and bone grafting of acetabular defect and use of a protrusion cup and an extra-long stem. Postoperative course was complicated by long-standing serous aseptic discharge from the wound which was controlled by antibiotics and prolonged recumbency. Indications for total hip arthroplasty in paralytic hips are rare and should be reserved for the most crippling conditions and one must be prepared fvr technical difficulties and a variety of complications with a prospecs for less than optimum results.