TY - JOUR
T1 - Mesh Achilles tendon lengthening-a new method to treat equinus deformity in patients with spastic cerebral palsy
T2 - Surgical technique and early results
AU - Lin, Cheng Li
AU - Lin, Chii Jeng
AU - Huang, Ming Tung
AU - Su, Wei Ren
AU - Wu, Tung Tai
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - Equinus of the ankle is a common deformity in spastic cerebral palsy. Many methods have been developed to lengthen the Achilles tendon to correct the deformity. A new mesh Achilles tendon lengthening (ATL) procedure that might decrease immobilization and promote recovery was performed in 36 tendons with equinus deformity (22 patients, average age=6.2). The results were compared with those of two other methods: the Vulpius group and the Z-lengthening group. The corrected dorsiflexion angle of the ankle at a subsequent 2-year follow-up of the mesh ATL and Vulpius groups matched (25.5±3.0 and 27.1±3.5, respectively), whereas that of the Z-lengthening group was higher (33.9±3.8). Nevertheless, statistics of the timing of each patient's readiness to begin rehabilitation and walking as well as gaining better stability for running and one-legged hopping indicated that the mesh ATL group recovered significantly quicker than the Vulpius and Z-lengthening groups. The mesh ATL procedure achieves a successful correction of the equinus deformity in spastic cerebral palsy comparable with that of the Vulpius procedure, with the advantage of preserving the gastrocnemius without a complete section. This confers greater antigravity stability and quicker recovery in patients.
AB - Equinus of the ankle is a common deformity in spastic cerebral palsy. Many methods have been developed to lengthen the Achilles tendon to correct the deformity. A new mesh Achilles tendon lengthening (ATL) procedure that might decrease immobilization and promote recovery was performed in 36 tendons with equinus deformity (22 patients, average age=6.2). The results were compared with those of two other methods: the Vulpius group and the Z-lengthening group. The corrected dorsiflexion angle of the ankle at a subsequent 2-year follow-up of the mesh ATL and Vulpius groups matched (25.5±3.0 and 27.1±3.5, respectively), whereas that of the Z-lengthening group was higher (33.9±3.8). Nevertheless, statistics of the timing of each patient's readiness to begin rehabilitation and walking as well as gaining better stability for running and one-legged hopping indicated that the mesh ATL group recovered significantly quicker than the Vulpius and Z-lengthening groups. The mesh ATL procedure achieves a successful correction of the equinus deformity in spastic cerebral palsy comparable with that of the Vulpius procedure, with the advantage of preserving the gastrocnemius without a complete section. This confers greater antigravity stability and quicker recovery in patients.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871218757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84871218757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/BPB.0b013e32835717b0
DO - 10.1097/BPB.0b013e32835717b0
M3 - Article
C2 - 23192252
AN - SCOPUS:84871218757
SN - 1060-152X
VL - 22
SP - 14
EP - 19
JO - Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics Part B
JF - Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics Part B
IS - 1
ER -