Abstract
Aim: To assess functional outcome after calcaneal neck lengthening osteotomy in cerebral palsy patients with severe pes planus-valgus deformity.
Methods: During the period 1999–2002, 17 cerebral palsy patients (12 males and 5 females), aged 3 to 16 years, with flexible pes planus-valgus deformity, were treated in our department. Patients underwent calcaneal neck lengthening osteotomy using allograft bone. A below knee plaster was applied to all patients while weight-bearing was avoided for 6 weeks before partial to full weight-bearing commenced for the following 2 months.
Results: Patients were followed-up postoperatively for 3–28 months (mean 17 months) and the clinical and radiological findings were evaluated. The mean correction of the talo-navicular angle on the antero-posterior view was found to be 34°. All patients were radiologically healed at 7.5 weeks in average. 10% mean improvement was observed in the Gross Motor Performance Measure. There were no complications such as pseudarthrosis or infection.
Conclusion: Calcaneal neck lengthening osteotomy using allograft bone for the surgical treatment of severe pes planus-valgus deformity in cerebral palsy children yields satisfactory radiological and functional results.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
