Although there have been advancements of surgical techniques to correct gait abnormalities seen in patients with cerebral palsy, the crouch gait remains one of the most difficult problems to treat. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine our results of distal femoral shortening osteotomy (DFSO) and patellar tendon advancement (PTA), performed in patients with crouch gait associated with severe knee flexion contracture. A total of 33 patients with a mean fixed knee contracture of 38° were included in the study. The mean age at the time of surgery was 12.2 years and the mean follow-up was 26.9 months. The measurements of clinical, radiological, and gait parameters were performed before and after surgery. The mean degrees of knee flexion contracture, Koshino index of patella height, and Gait Deviation Index were found to be significantly improved at the time of final follow-up. The maximum knee extension during the stance phase improved by an average of 25°, and the range of knee motion during gait increased postoperatively. On the other hand, the mean anterior pelvic tilt increased by 9.9°. Also, the maximum knee flexion during the swing phase decreased and the timing of peak knee flexion was observed to be delayed. We conclude that combined procedure of DFSO and PTA is an effective and safe surgical method for treating severe knee flexion contracture and crouch gait. However, the surgeons should be aware of the development of increased anterior pelvic tilt and stiff knee gait after the index operation.

No previous studies have suggested a reliable criterion for determining the addition of a concomitant pelvic osteotomy by using a large patient cohort with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and a homogenous treatment entity of femoral varus derotational osteotomies (VDRO). In this retrospective study, we examined our results of hip reconstructions conducted without a concomitant pericapsular acetabuloplasty in patients with varying degrees of hip displacement. We wished to investigate potential predictors for re-subluxation or re-dislocation after the index operation, and to suggest the indications for a simultaneous pelvic osteotomy. We reviewed the results of 144 VDROs, with or without open reduction, in 72 patients, at a mean follow-up of 7.0 (2.0 to 16.0) years. Various radiographic parameters were measured, and surgical outcomes were assessed based on the final migration percentage (MP) and the Melbourne Cerebral Palsy Hip Classification Scale (MCPHCS) grades. The effects of potential predictive factors on the surgical outcome was assessed by multivariate regression analysis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was also performed to determine whether a threshold of each risk factor existed above which the rate of unsatisfactory outcomes was significantly increased. In total, 113 hips (78.5%) showed satisfactory results, classified as MCPHCS grades I, II, and III. Thirty-one hips (21.5%) showed unsatisfactory results, including six hip dislocations. Age at surgery and preoperative acetabular index had no effects on the results. Lower pre- and postoperative MP were found to be the influential predictors of successful outcomes. The inflection point of the ROC curve for unsatisfactory outcomes corresponded to the preoperative MP of 61.8% and the postoperative MP of 5.1%, respectively; these thresholds of the pre- and postoperative MP may serve as a guideline in the indication for a concomitant pelvic osteotomy. Our results also indicate that the severely subluxated or dislocated hip, as well as the hip in which the femoral head is successfully reduced by VDRO but is still contained within the dysplastic acetabulum, may benefit from concomitant pelvic osteotomy.

The longitudinal changes in the tibiofibular relationship as the ankle valgus deformity progresses in patients with hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) are not well-known. We investigated the longitudinal changes and associating factors in the tibiofibular relationship during the growing period. A total of 33 patients (63 legs) with HME underwent two or more standing full-length anteroposterior radiographs. Based on the change in ankle alignments, thirty-five patients with an increase in tibiotalar angle were grouped into group V, and 28 patients with a decreased angle into group N. In terms of the change in radiographic parameters, significant differences were noted in the tibial length, the fibular/tibial ratio, and the proximal and distal epiphyseal gap. However, age, sex, initial ankle alignment, location of osteochondroma, and presence of tibiofibular synostosis did not affect the tibiofibular alignment. The tibial growth was relatively greater than the fibular growth and was accompanied by significant relative fibular shortening in the proximal and distal portions. In pediatric patients with HME, age, sex, initial ankle alignment, location of the osteochondroma, and synostosis did not predict the progression of the ankle valgus deformity. However, when valgus angulation progressed, relative fibular shortening was observed as the tibia grew significantly in comparison to the fibula.

The Silfverskiöld test has long been used as an important tool for determining the affected muscles of the triceps surae in patients with equinus deformity. However, the test may not reflect the altered interactions between the muscles of the triceps which are affected by spasticity. The purpose of this study was to compare the architectural properties of the triceps surae muscles complex using ultrasonography, between hemiplegic patients and typically-developing children. Specifically, we wished to examine any differences in the architecture of the three muscles with various angle configurations of the knee and ankle joints. Ultrasound images of the medial gastrocnemius, lateral gastrocnemius, and soleus were acquired from paretic (group I) and non-paretic (group II) legs of ten patients and the legs (group III) of 10 age-matched normal children. A mixed model was used to evaluate the differences in the measurements of muscle architecture among the groups and the effects of various joint configurations on the measurements within the muscles. Compared to the results of measurements in groups II and III, the fascicle length was not different in the medial gastrocnemius of a paretic leg but it was longer in the lateral gastrocnemius and shorter in the soleus; the pennation angle was smaller in both medial and lateral gastrocnemii and was not different in the soleus; and the muscle thickness was found to be reduced in the three muscles of the paretic leg. Contrary to the observations in both the medial and lateral gastrocnemii, the fascicle length was increased and the pennation angle was decreased in the soleus with an increase of knee flexion. Through the current simulation study of the Silfverskiöld test using ultrasonography, we found that the changes detected in the architectural properties of the three muscles induced by systematic variations of the position at the ankle and the knee joints were variable. We believe that the limited utility of the Silfverskiöld test should be considered in determining an appropriate operative procedure to correct the equinus deformity in patients with altered architecture of the muscles in conditions such as cerebral palsy, as the differing muscle architectures of the triceps surae complex may affect the behavior of the muscles during the Silfverskiöld test.

Background: To date, no studies have evaluated the longevity of calcaneal lengthening osteotomy (CLO) in patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and pes planovalgus. This study aimed to explore the changes in foot alignment following CLO in patients with CP, utilizing both radiographic evaluations and dynamic foot-pressure assessments. Methods: A retrospective study of 282 feet in 180 ambulatory patients was performed. The mean patient age at the surgical procedure was 8.9 ± 2.6 years. The mean follow-up period was 8.0 ± 4.3 years, and the mean age at the final follow-up 16.9 ± 4.4 years. Weight-bearing radiographs at 3 separate time points (before the surgical procedure, 6 months postoperatively, and at the final follow-up) were used. The feet were classified as corrected, undercorrected, or overcorrected on the basis of the radiographic parameters. Results: At the final follow-up, we classified 98 feet (34.8%) as corrected, 58 (20.6%) as undercorrected, and 126 (44.7%) as overcorrected. Foot-pressure analysis demonstrated that the undercorrected feet had higher relative vertical impulses in the medial forefoot and medial midfoot than in the other groups, whereas the overcorrected feet had higher impulse in the lateral midfoot. There were no significant differences in preoperative radiographic parameters between the 3 groups, except for the calcaneal pitch angle. At 6 months after the surgical procedure, we classified 181 feet (64.2%) as corrected, 58 (20.6%) as undercorrected, and 43 (15.2%) as overcorrected. However, 53.6% of initially corrected feet changed to being undercorrected or overcorrected during further follow-up, 43.1% of the undercorrected feet became corrected or overcorrected, and 16.3% of the overcorrected feet became corrected. A younger age at the surgical procedure and lower naviculocuboid overlap at 6 months after the surgical procedure were the risk factors for overcorrection. Conclusions: Although CLO is an effective method for correcting planovalgus foot deformities and enhancing foot-pressure distribution, the extent of correction observed early after the surgical procedure was not necessarily sustained over the follow-up period in individuals with CP. Furthermore, our findings highlight a noticeable tendency toward the overcorrection of the deformity, as evidenced by increased pressure exerted on the lateral midfoot. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.