Distal rectus femoris surgery in children with cerebral palsy: results of a Delphi consensus project

PurposeThe purpose of this study was for an international panel of experts to establish consensus indications for distal rectus femoris surgery in children with cerebral palsy (CP) using a modified Delphi method.MethodsThe panel used a five-level Likert scale to record agreement or disagreement with 33 statements regarding distal rectus femoris surgery. The panel responded to statements regarding general characteristics, clinical indications, computerized gait data, intraoperative techniques and outcome measures. Consensus was defined as at least 80% of responses being in the highest or lowest two of the five Likert ratings, and general agreement as 60% to 79% falling into the highest or lowest two ratings. There was no agreement if neither threshold was reached.ResultsConsensus or general agreement was reached for 17 of 33 statements (52%). There was general consensus that distal rectus femoris surgery is better for stiff knee gait than is proximal rectus femoris release. There was no consensus about whether the results of distal rectus femoris release were comparable to those following distal rectus femoris transfer. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level was an important factor for the panel, with the best outcomes expected in children functioning at GMFCS levels I and II. The panel also reached consensus that they do distal rectus femoris surgery less frequently than earlier in their careers, in large part reflecting the narrowing of indications for this surgery over the last decade.ConclusionThis study can help paediatric orthopaedic surgeons optimize decision-making for, and outcomes of, distal rectus femoris surgery in children with CP.Level of evidenceV     

Comprehensive treatment of ambulatory children with cerebral palsy: an outcome assessment

A retrospective study was used to evaluate the outcome of treatment of 135 ambulatory children with cerebral palsy. Diplegic subjects were selected from the existing database at the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Motion Analysis Laboratory. All subjects had undergone gait analysis before and after intervention, which included orthopaedic surgery, selective dorsal rhizotomy, or both treatments. Outcome was based on gait pathology, gait efficiency, functional walking ability, and higher-level functional skills. Gait pathology was assessed using 16 clinically relevant kinematic parameters. Gait efficiency was assessed with steady-state oxygen consumption. Walking ability and higher-level functional skills were based on patient report surveys. Improvements were seen in all outcome measures. A significant majority of subjects (79%) improved on a predominance of outcome measures; only 7% of subjects worsened. Within the restrictions of this study design, the results indicate that surgical intervention, guided by preoperative gait analysis, is effective and safe for children with cerebral palsy.     

Comparison of rectus femoris transposition with traditional transfer for treatment of stiff knee gait in patients with cerebral palsy

Purpose To assess the outcome of children with cerebral palsy following reposition of the distal rectus femoris tendon for treatment of stiff knee gait. Methods Children with cerebral palsy with stiff knee gait who underwent rectus femoris transfer were studied retrospectively. Inclusion criteria were cerebral palsy of diplegic or quadriplegic type, preoperative and 1 year postoperative three-dimensional motion analysis, and no other surgery except rectus femoris transfer at the time of study. The patients were separated into two groups: in group I, the rectus femoris was transferred to the distal medial hamstring tendons, either the gracilis or the semitendinosus; in group II, the distal tendon of the rectus femoris was transposed laterally and attached to the iliotibial band/intermuscular septum. Results Peak knee flexion during swing phase, total dynamic knee range of motion, knee range of motion during swing phase, and time to peak knee flexion during swing phase were all improved in both groups. Hip and pelvic kinematics were not influenced by the surgery. Velocity, stride length, and cadence were all improved following the surgery. There was no difference between the transfer group and the transposition group. Conclusion These findings suggest that distal transfer of the rectus femoris is effective in improving swing phase knee function by diminishing the mechanical effect of the dysphasic swing phase activity of the rectus femoris, not by converting the rectus femoris to an active knee flexor. No financial support was received for this study.     

Posterior transfer of the adductors in children who have cerebral palsy. A long-term study

Seventy-eight posterior transfers of the adductors of the hip in forty-two children who has spastic cerebral palsy were reviewed an average of 5.7 years after the operation (range, two to 14.6 years). The results were assessed on the basis of the patient's ability to walk, the range of motion of the affected hip or hips, and the radiographic measurements. In 88 per cent of the patients, the transfer was successful in improving or maintaining abduction, extension, functional walking, and stability of the hip. The failures were all in patients who were unable to walk and who had spastic quadriplegia. Tenotomy of the iliopsoas tendon at the time of the transfer procedure resulted in an improved range of motion of the hip.     

Radiological outcome of calcaneo-cuboid-cuneiform osteotomies for planovalgus feet in cerebral palsy children: Relationship with pedobarography

BackgroundCalcaneo-cuboid-cuneiform (triple C) osteotomies correct all levels of deformity of flexible planovalgus feet (PVF) in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). The objective was assessing short term results and the hypothesis was that static pedobarography correlates with radiological parameters as outcome measures.MethodsA prospective case series of consecutive skeletally immature ambulatory spastic CP patients above the age of 4 years who underwent triple C for PVF. Assessment was done using static pedobarography and standing dorsoplantar (DP) and lateral radiographs. The calcaneal pitch, lateral talocalcaneal, lateral and DP talo-first metatarsal, and DP talonavicular coverage angles were measured.ResultsEighteen feet (12 patients) were analyzed. Postoperative changes in lateral and DP talo-first metatarsal, and DP talonavicular coverage angles were statistically significant (P-value = 0 with paired T-test). Post operative foot pressure changes were significant and highest in mid-foot. Both outcomes were related together with a p-value of 1 using McNemar test.ConclusionsThe triple C and associated soft tissue procedures reliably corrected PVF deformities. Static pedobarography can be used for postoperative assessment of adequate correction.     

One-stage hip reconstruction in children with cerebral palsy: long-term results at skeletal maturity

Purpose

Hip subluxation is common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Surgery is indicated in case of pain or progressive increase of Reimers index on radiographs. Peri-iliac osteotomy combined with femoral osteotomy is one of the numerous operative techniques available, but results at skeletal maturity remain unclear. The purpose of this radiological study was to report the long-term results of this procedure.

Materials and methods

Twenty hips in 20 children were retrospectively evaluated at skeletal maturity. Mean age at surgery was 8.1 years and follow-up averaged 9.1 years. All patients underwent Dega acetabuloplasty, soft-tissue release and femoral-shortening varus derotation osteotomy without open reduction. Reimers index, acetabular angle (AA) and neck-shaft angle (NSA) were compared on preoperative, postoperative and latest follow-up radiographs.

Results

Dega osteotomy significantly improved the AA and the correction remained stable at maturity. The NSA significantly decreased postoperatively (153°–115°), but recurrence of the valgus deformity (130°) of the proximal femur was observed at maturity. Consequently, Reimers index followed the same evolution. No case of osteonecrosis was reported but one hip dislocated and one subluxated during follow-up.

Conclusion

Progressive recurrence of the valgus deformity of the proximal femur, attributable to adductors spasticity and gluteus medius weakness, led to a significant increase in the Reimers index. However, hip coverage remained >70 % at maturity in 90 % of the hips. This one-stage procedure without hip dislocation efficaciously corrected acetabulum dysplasia and successfully treated neurological hips in CP patients.

Level of evidence

IV: retrospective study.     

Radiographic outcome of soft-tissue surgery for hip subluxation in non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy

This study reviewed radiographs of non-ambulatory spastic tetraparetic cerebral palsy patients who underwent soft tissue hip surgery to address hip subluxation. Patients were under 10 years of age at surgery, had limited hip motion, and radiographic subluxation. At an average 7.4 years postoperatively, hips had a migration percentage in the normal range (0-15%) in 58 of 70 cases (83%). Hips with preoperative subluxation between 30 and 49% had a normal migration percentage in 18 of 21 cases (81%), and those over 50% in three of seven (43%) of cases. Soft tissue surgery alone, even in cases of moderate hip subluxation, can result in long-term radiographic hip stability.     

Comparison of hamstring transfer with hamstring lengthening in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy: further follow-up

Background

Overactivity or contractures of the hamstring muscles in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP) can lead to either a jump gait (knee flexion associated with ankle plantar flexion) or a crouch gait (knee flexion associated with ankle dorsiflexion). Hamstring lengthening is performed to decrease stance knee flexion. However, this procedure carries the potential risk of weakening hip extension power as well as recurrence over time; therefore, surgeons have adopted a modified procedure wherein the semitendinosus and gracilis are transferred above the knee joint, along with lengthening of the semimembranosus and biceps femoris.

Purpose

The purpose of our study is to evaluate the differences between hamstring lengthening alone (HSL group) and hamstring lengthening plus transfer (HST group) in the treatment of flexed knee gait in ambulatory children with CP. We hypothesized that recurrence of increased knee flexion in the stance phase will be less in the HST group at long-term follow-up, and hip extensor power will be better preserved.

Methods

Fifty children with CP who underwent hamstring surgery for flexed knee gait were retrospectively reviewed. All subjects underwent a pre-operative gait study, a follow-up post-operative gait study, and a long-term gait study. The subjects were divided into two groups; HSL group (18 subjects) or HST group (32 subjects). The mean age at surgery was 9.9 ± 3.3 years. The mean follow-up time was 4.4 ± 0.9 (2.7–6.3) years.

Results

On physical examination, both groups showed improvement in straight leg raise, knee extension, popliteal angle, and maximum knee extension in stance at the first post-op study, and maintained this improvement at the long-term follow-up, with the exception of straight leg raise, which slightly worsened in both groups at the final follow-up. Both groups improved maximum knee extension in stance at the initial follow-up, and maintained this at the long-term follow-up. Only the HST group showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the peak hip extension power in stance at the first post-op study, and this increased further at the final follow-up. In the HSL group, there was an initial slight decrease in the hip extension power, which subsequently increased to pre-operative values at the long-term study. Only the HST group showed increase of the average anterior pelvic tilt at the long-term follow-up study, although this was small in magnitude. There were two subjects who developed knee recurvatum at the post-op study, and both were in the HST group.

Conclusions

There is no clear benefit in regards to recurrence when comparing HST to HSL in the long term. In both HSL and HST, there was reduction of stance phase knee flexion in the long term, with no clear advantage in either group. Longer follow-up is needed for additional recurrence information. There was greater improvement of hip extension power in the HST group, which may justify the additional operative time of the transfer.

Significance

This study helps pediatric orthopedic surgeons choose between two different techniques to treat flexed knee gait in patients with CP by showing the long-term outcome of both procedures.     

Hip reconstruction surgery is successful in restoring joint congruity in patients with cerebral palsy: long-term outcome

Purpose

Neurogenic hip dislocation is frequently observed in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). If the hip is not centred but not dislocated, the hip joint can be recentered with minor operative effort. Reconstructive procedures are indicated if the femoral head is subluxated or dislocated. There are no data as to when destruction of the femoral head requires a salvage procedure or whether hip reconstruction surgery is successful in restoring joint congruity in patients with CP. Our aim was to investigate femoral head plasticity after hip reconstruction surgery in a long-term outcome study.

Methods

We studied a large cohort of patients with CP and high hip dislocation (Tönnis grade IV) before surgery. Sixty-eight patients were assessed, of whom 23 presented with bilateral high hip dislocation, and 91 complex hip reconstructions were conducted. Standardised radiographic examination was performed before and directly after surgery and at the long-term follow-up examination.

Results

Pain was the most frequent reason for complex hip-joint reconstruction (49 patients, 72 %). An impressive improvement in pain was demonstrated postoperatively. Forty-five hip joints presented aspheric incongruity postoperatively, which improved on average 7.7 years after surgery and 59 hip joints showed congruency. Only 15 % of patients experienced pain at the time of final follow-up, and that was of low intensity.

Conclusions

Early conservative treatment for hip dislocation is helpful, and operative reconstruction should also be scheduled early. Continued surveillance is necessary, and Reimers index is useful for monitoring the development of hip centering. In case of hip pain and femoral head deformity, our long-term study indicates that hip reconstruction surgery as a part of multilevel surgery improves pain and function in patients with CP and Tönnis IV hip dislocation, even if the hip joint is incongruent after operation. This incongruity improves over the long-term. If possible, a reconstruction procedure should be performed before the femoral head becomes deformed. High plasticity of the hip joint suggest that even if the femoral head is deformed, hip reconstruction can be recommended.     

Fractures in children with cerebral palsy

INTRODUCTION: We studied the fracture history in a large population of patients with cerebral palsy to determine which children were at the highest risk for fracture. METHODS: The International Classification of Diseases (Ninth Revision) coding identified 763 children with cerebral palsy. Patients and caregivers were contacted for information about fracture history and risk factors for low bone density. Of the 763 children identified, 418 children (54.8%) were available for this study; 243 (58%) had quadriplegia, 120 (29%) diplegia, and 55 (13%) hemiplegia. Three hundred sixty-six children were spastic, 23 mixed tone, 13 athetoid, and 16 classified as others. We identified 50 children (12%) who fractured; 15 of these same children had, over time, multiple fractures. RESULTS: The number of fractures showed a normal distribution by age, with a mean of 8.6 (SD, 4.0). Children with cerebral palsy with mixed tone had a higher rate of fracture (chi = 14.7, P < 0.01); chi analysis indicated that the children who fractured were, as a group, more likely to use a feeding tube, have a seizure disorder, take valproic acid (VPA), and use standing equipment in therapy. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated older age and VPA use as predictive of fracture and gave the following equation: fracture = -0.01 + (VPA x 0.17) + (age x 0.15).The subgroup that sustained multiple fractures were older at the time of first fracture than the children who had only one reported fracture (t = -2.3, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of our article is that older age at first fracture and use of VPA are predictive of fractures and define a group of children with cerebral palsy who may benefit from treatment interventions to increase bone density.     

Uptime in children with cerebral palsy

Quantitative evaluation of function, in children with physical disabilities, has to date been mainly focused on laboratory-based measures. However, the measurement of activity in the community may have a more direct relationship with physical function, health, and well-being. We assessed the utility of a remote activity monitor, the Uptimer (National Aging Research Institute of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia), to measure one aspect of physical function, time spent in the upright position, in a consecutive cohort of 300 children with cerebral palsy who attended an orthopedic outpatient department. The Uptimer was found to be a valid and reliable tool to measure the amount of time children spent on their feet each day. Uptime was closely related to the severity of cerebral palsy and had excellent correlations with validated instruments including the Pediatric Orthopaedic Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), and the Functional Mobility Scale (FMS). Uptime complements any quantitative functional assessment of impairments in children with cerebral palsy.     

The Baumann procedure to correct equinus gait in children with diplegic cerebral palsy: long-term results

Although equinus gait is the most common abnormality in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) there is no consistency in recommendations for treatment, and evidence for best practice is lacking. The Baumann procedure allows selective fractional lengthening of the gastrocnemii and soleus muscles but the long-term outcome is not known. We followed a group of 18 children (21 limbs) with diplegic CP for ten years using three-dimensional instrumented gait analysis. The kinematic parameters of the ankle joint improved significantly following this procedure and were maintained until the end of follow-up. We observed a normalisation of the timing of the key kinematic and kinetic parameters, and an increase in the maximum generation of power of the ankle. There was a low rate of overcorrection (9.5%, n = 2), and a rate of recurrent equinus similar to that found with other techniques (23.8%, n = 5). As the procedure does not impair the muscle architecture, and allows for selective correction of the contracted gastrocnemii and soleus, it may be recommended as the preferred method for correction of a mild fixed equinus deformity.     

Effects of surgical lengthening of the hamstrings without a concomitant distal rectus femoris transfer in ambulant patients with cerebral palsy

Eighteen ambulant patients (32 legs) who had undergone fractional lengthening of the medial and lateral hamstrings without rectus femoris transfer underwent pre- and postoperative gait analysis. A significant increase in the amount of knee extension and a decrease in the amount of peak knee flexion in swing were observed. This decrease in knee flexion signified a change towards more normal speed-related values. Dorsiflexion at initial contact decreased significantly for patients who did not undergo a gastrocnemius lengthening (n = 24). Absolute cadence was significantly lower after surgery, but the change in dimensionless cadence was not significantly different. This difference in the outcome between dimensionless and absolute stride parameters can be attributed to the increase in body height after surgery. The clinical significance of these findings is that it is important to recognize that postoperative effects of surgery on gait in children may, in part, be explained by changes in height and not surgery alone.