A Rational Approach to the Surgical Needs of the Cerebral Palsy Patient

This paper, as stated in the introduction, is presented to redirect attention to a primary orthopaedic problem; to describe techniques to correct triceps surae dysfunction; to emphasize the importance of correcting deformities caused by spasticity or tension in the tensor fasciae latae; to point out deformities in the foot which can be corrected and controlled by the Grice bone block; and to emphasize the importance of correcting all deformities before instituting rehabilitation in the cerebral palsy patient. The examination of 977 cerebral palsy patients at the North Carolina Cerebral Palsy Hospital and an uncalculated number in associated clinics from February 1950 to May 1954 has afforded an opportunity to evaluate many cerebral palsy problems. The opinions expressed are based on the results seen following 590 operative procedures carried out in 186 patients. The type of surgery performed is shown in Table II. With the present widespread and professional lay interest in cerebral palsy, it is hoped that these and other well established orthopaedic surgical procedures can be used to the benefit of the cerebral palsy patient, and that new procedures will be developed that will further advance surgery in this difficult field.