Hip salvage surgery in cerebral palsy cases: a systematic review.

Imbalance and muscle spasticity, in association with coxa valga and persistent femoral anteversion, compromises hip development in cases of cerebral palsy and may result in chronic pain and even dislocation. Some of these hips undergo salvage surgery because of the severe impact of their abnormalities in these patients' quality of life. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to compare the results from the main hip salvage techniques applied to these individuals. The literature search focused on studies that evaluated results from hip salvage surgery in cases of cerebral palsy, published from 1970 to 2011, which are present in the Embase, Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library and SciELO databases. Although the results were not statistically comparable, this systematic review demonstrates that hip salvage surgery should be indicated after individual evaluation on each patient, due to the wide spectrum of presentations of cerebral palsy. Therefore, it seems that no surgical technique is superior to any other. Rather, there are different indications.

O desequilíbrio e a espasticidade muscular, associados à coxa valga e à anteversão femoral persistente, comprometem o desenvolvimento do quadril na paralisia cerebral e podem resultar em dor crônica e até luxação. Alguns desses quadris são submetidos a cirurgias de salvamento decorrentes do grave impacto das suas alterações na qualidade de vida. Fizemos uma revisão sistemática da literatura para comparar os resultados das principais técnicas aplicadas para salvamento do quadril nesses indivíduos. A busca na literatura teve como foco estudos que avaliaram resultados de cirurgias de salvamento do quadril em paralisia cerebral, publicados de 1970 a 2011, presentes nas bases de dados Embase, Medline, Pubmed, Scielo e Cochrane Library. Apesar de os resultados obtidos não serem estatisticamente comparáveis, essa revisão sistemática demonstra que as cirurgias de salvamento do quadril devem ser indicadas após avaliação individual de cada paciente, decorrente do amplo espectro de apresentações da paralisia cerebral. Logo, aparentemente, não há uma técnica cirúrgica superior às outras, mas sim indicações diferentes.

Bone age in cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the chronological age and bone age among cerebral palsy patients in the outpatient clinic and its correlation with the type of neurological involvement, gender and functional status. METHODS: 401 patients with spastic cerebral palsy, and ages ranging from three months to 20 years old, submitted to radiological examination for bone age and analyzed by two independent observers according Greulich & Pyle. RESULTS: In the topographic distribution, there was a significant delay (p<0.005) in tetraparetic (17.7 months), hemiparetic (10.1 months), and diparetic patients (7.9 months). In the hemiparetic group, the mean bone age in the affected side was 96.88 months and the uncompromised side was 101.13 months (p<0.005). Regarding functional status, the ambulatory group showed a delay of 18.73 months in bone age (p<0.005). Comparing bone age between genders, it was observed a greater delay in males (13.59 months) than in females (9.63 months), but not statistically significant (p = 0.54). CONCLUSION: There is a delay in bone age compared to chronological age influenced by the topography of spasticity, functional level and gender in patients with cerebral palsy. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

Knee flexion deformity from poliomyelitis treated by supracondylar femoral extension osteotomy.

Between April 1979 and August 1993, we treated 39 patients (49 knees) with knee flexion deformity after Poliomyelitis. All were subjected to fractional hamstring lengthening and supracondylar femoral extension osteotomy in the same surgical procedure. The goal was to correct the deformity and fit the lower extremities in long braces to improve or promote gait. Patients' mean age was 19.5 (6.5-39) years and the mean knee flexion deformity was 65 degrees (24-158 degrees). The mean follow-up was 15.5 (11.5-25) years. Postoperatively, 22 knees had full extension, in 26 there was an extension lag between -1 and -10 degrees and in one a lag greater than 10 degrees. There were no neurovascular complications and all patients were fitted with long leg braces. Surgical planning is important, especially in severe deformities, where shortening of the femur is necessary to facilitate the osteotomy and relax the neurovascular structures.

Quadricepsplasty in arthrogryposis (amyoplasia): long-term follow-up.

Eight patients with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (amyoplasia type) (11 knees) with knee hyperextension deformity underwent quadricepsplasty and were analyzed during an average follow-up period of 11 years and 2 months. The results were clinically analyzed based on gait pattern, range of movement, and orthotic requirements. Joint congruency was evaluated by radiography according to the Leveuf Pais classification. A satisfactory result was the correction of the deformity, articular congruency, sufficient range of movement, adequate gait pattern and no need for orthosis. A satisfactory outcome occurred in five of the eight patients (eight knees). We considered an unsatisfactory result when any of these conditions occurred. Our experience demonstrated that the quadricepsplasty corrected the hyperextension deformity of the knee joint, improved function, gait pattern, and maintained the muscle power of the quadriceps.