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Patients with cerebral palsy experience greater improvement with tendon transfer surgery
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Tendon transfer surgery in children with upper-extremity cerebral palsy provided greater improvement compared with botulinum toxin injections or regular, ongoing therapy at 12 months follow-up, according to study results.
Researchers either randomly assigned or assigned by patient/family preference 39 children with upper-extremity cerebral palsy to receive tendon transfer surgery, botulinum toxin injections or regular, ongoing therapy. Active range of motion, pinch and grip strength, stereognosis and scores as measured with eight additional functional or patient-oriented outcome instruments were included as assessment measurements.
Anne E. Van Heest
The Shriners Hospitals Upper-Extremity Evaluation dynamic positional analysis (SHUEE DPA) showed significant greater improvement among patients who underwent tendon transfer surgery, reflecting improved supination and wrist extension during functional activities after surgery, compared with the other two groups. The researchers also found more improvement in the Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory cerebral palsy module domain of movement among patients who underwent surgical treatment, as well as improvement in the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure score for satisfaction.
Patients who underwent surgical treatment and who underwent regular, ongoing therapy showed more improvement in pinch strength vs. patients who received botulinum toxin injections, according to the researchers. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: Van Heest received a grant from Shriners Hospitals for Children-Tampa. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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