To assess the improvement of cerebral palsy patients with single event multilevel surgery

Abstract

Spastic or contractural deformities at multiple joints of cerebral palsy patients, is the major reason for their poor quality of life. There is no cure to cerebral palsy, but various forms of therapy can help patients with this disorder to function more effectively. One such multidisciplinary intervention is “single event multi level Surgery”. Our aim was to assess the improvement of cerebral palsy patients with single event multilevel surgery. It was a hospital based descriptive study with 143 patients over a period of 36 months. All patients with spastic type cerebral palsy having adequate standing balance without any significant prior surgeries were included. Different soft tissue or bony Procedures were done at hip, knee and ankle at single sitting according to Deformities. Postoperative improvement was assessed with Gross motor function Classification system and gait. Postoperatively 40 patients had improvement in one level of GMFCS score, 60 had two level, 21 had three level and 13 had four Level improvement, but 5 remained constant. Of the 51 who were unable to walk, 40 became household ambulators and 7 became community ambulators and of The 64 house hold ambulators, 63 became community ambulators. Overall, we appreciated a significant improvement in gait and functional ability of patients with single event multilevel surgery. Gait parameters improved much faster and to a greater degree than did functional parameters showing their nonlinear Relation. Post-surgical physiotherapy is vital in maintaining and improving the Function.