MRI can demonstrate and differentiate the various insults and anomalies that can be responsible for cerebral palsy. Recent advances have resulted in techniques and sequences that allow prompt detection of cytotoxic edema and evaluation of brain perfusion. MRI precisely demonstrates the various patterns of injury, distinguishing insults owing to profound asphyxia, partial prolonged asphyxia, and mixed partial prolonged and profound asphyxia. Infants and children can be studied with MRI, and ultrafast MRI permits evaluation of the fetal central nervous system. In the fetus, the cause of ventriculomegaly can be determined, such as cerebrospinal fluid flow obstruction, brain malformation, or brain destruction with or without hemorrhage. Results from fetal MRI have led to better understanding of many brain abnormalities.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the results of single-stage multilevel muscle-tendon surgery performed for the treatment of contractures in the lower extremities of patients with spastic cerebral palsy. METHODS: The study included 23 patients (11 girls, 12 boys; mean age 6 years 3 months; range 4 to 17 years) with spastic cerebral palsy, who underwent single-stage multilevel muscle-tendon surgery for the treatment of contractures in the lower extremities secondary to spasticity. Quadriplegia, diplegia, and hemiplegia were present in five, 14, and four patients, respectively. Preoperatively, 13 patients could walk, while 10 patients lacked ambulation even with support. Evaluations were based on pre- and postoperative (mean 4 years 9 months; range 1 to 8 years) physical examination findings and on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) scores. The patients' mean age at the last follow-up was 11.5 years (range 9 to 19 years). RESULTS: The range of motion of all the operated joints improved postoperatively, resulting in significant improvements in posture, sitting, gait, and hygiene of the patients. Of ten patients who could not walk, five could ambulate with the use of a walker or crutches postoperatively. The mean pre- and postoperative GMFCS scores were 3.045 and 1.864, respectively (p<0.001). All the patients showed an improvement of at least one GMFCS level. CONCLUSION: Surgery for spastic cerebral palsy can be most beneficial only when all contractures of the hip, knee, and ankle have been corrected. Symmetrical and multilevel operations should be performed when necessary, for single-stage and symmetrical multilevel muscle-tendon surgical applications have definite advantages over staged interventions.

In this study a generalised dynamic neural network (GDNN) was designed to process gait analysis parameters to evaluate equinus deformity in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy. The aim was to differentiate dynamic calf muscle tightness from fixed muscle contracture. Patients underwent clinical examination and had instrumented gait analysis before evaluating their equinus under anaesthesia and muscle relaxation at the time of surgery to improve gait. The performance of the clinical examination, the subjective interpretation of gait analysis results, and the application of the neural network to assess ankle function were compared to the examination under anaesthesia. Evaluation of equinus by a Neural Network showed high sensitivity and specificity values with a likelihood ratio of +14.63. The results indicate that dynamic calf muscle tightness can be differentiated from fixed calf muscle contracture with considerable precision that might facilitate clinical decision-making.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the results of Dennyson-Fulford subtalar extra-articular arthrodesis performed in patients with paralytic planovalgus deformity and its success in realignment of the foot. METHODS: Dennyson-Fulford subtalar extra-articular arthrodesis was performed in 19 feet of 12 patients (5 girls, 7 boys; mean age 97.5 months; range 79-138 months) with paralytic planovalgus deformity. The underlying causes were poliomyelitis (n=5), cerebral palsy (n=5), and meningomyelocele (n=2). Seven patients had bilateral involvement; the remaining deformities were on the right in four patients, and on the left in one patient. Simultaneous operations were performed in six patients with bilateral deformity. The results were assessed both clinically and radiologically. The mean follow-up was 35.8 months (range 7 to 82 months). RESULTS: Union was achieved in all patients within sufficient degree and time. Clinical results were good in 10 feet (52, moderate in eight feet (42, and poor in one foot (6. Radiological results were good in five feet (26, moderate in 12 feet (64, and poor in two feet (10. None of the patients developed pseudoarthrosis or arthrosis of the neighboring joints. Sclerosis was observed around the screws in two patients, in one of whom sclerosis of more than 1 mm was associated with a poor clinical and radiologic outcome. CONCLUSION: Successful functional and radiologic results are obtained by Dennyson-Fulford subtalar extra-articular arthrodesis in the surgical treatment of paralytic planovalgus deformity in children with neuromuscular disorders.

This study evaluated the effects of medial hamstring lengthening on gait in patients with diplegic cerebral palsy. A group of patients who underwent medial hamstring lengthening and distal rectus transfer was compared to a group of patients who underwent intramuscular psoas lengthening as well. Patients who underwent a psoas lengthening showed an increased anterior pelvic tilt and a tendency towards genu recurvatum, features that could indicate postoperative hamstring weakness. These results underline the importance of medial hamstrings for pelvis and knee motion in the sagittal plane during walking. In additional the limitations of the popliteal angle as a clinical measure to evaluate hamstring length in the presence of hip flexor tightness are discussed.

Seventeen patients with diplegic cerebral palsy were assessed by clinical examination and three-dimensional gait analysis before and after surgery to improve gait. Selection of surgical procedures was according to a fixed set of selection criteria. The average postoperative follow-up was 3.8 years (range, 2.6-5.7 years). Clinical examination revealed an improved range of motion for the ankle and no reduction in the power grade at the hip, knee and ankle after surgery. Kinematic parameters showed improved knee extension in stance and significant changes towards a normal ankle motion pattern postoperatively. Kinetic evaluation demonstrated that most of the total power during walking was generated at the hip, with the ankle contributing a small part. After surgery, patients walked faster with an increased power generation at the hip during first double support and at the ankle during push off. Power generation at the hip in stance is pointed out to be an important mechanism for propulsion during walking.

Simultaneously with the introduction of modern perinatal intensive therapy the infantile cerebral palsies (ICP) of VLBW infants dropped on the average from 23 to 5.9 per cent. In Swedish and West-Australian ICP studies a considerable decrease in the ICP incidence was found in the 60's, but there was again a slight increase in the 70's. A decrease in the epilepsies was found on an average from 9 to 1.6 per cent, whereby in 10 of 16 actual studies mostly performed at early follow-up age no epilepsies were reported. A decrease in the mental retardations (oligophrenias) was found on an average from 22 to 10.6 per cent. There was especially noteworthy a reduction of the severe mental retardations from 8 to 10 per cent to an average of 2.3 per cent.

The reduction of both the severe CNS-disturbances (major CNS-handicaps) as a whole and the infantile cerebral palsies (ICP), epilepsies, and mental retardations (oligophrenias) especially, can be attributed to the comprehensively improved pre-, intra- and postnatal care since the 60/70-ies. The best indicator is the decreasing ICP, because 60%of this disturbance is caused perinatally. It is closely associated with cerebral hemorrhages. In several centers, in Sweden and in West-Australia, an isolated recrudescence of ICP was noted. This fact is probably caused by a very active management of respirator therapy in some perinatological centers. However, today there is an effective therapy of several potential causes of perinatal cerebral lesions, i.e. hypoglycemia, hypothermia, asphyxia, RDS, and hyperbilirubinemia. The therapy of these diseases is simultaneously a prevention of the possible consecutive cerebral lesion as well. In the past, only two causes for CNS-disturbances have scarcely been influenced: cerebral hemorrhage, and nosocomial infections. Conclusions for the strategy of the further perinatal care can be deduced from these analyses: prevention of the extremely preterm deliveries, improvement of the perinatal care, prevention of cerebral hemorrhages and nosocomial infections, and responsible ethical decision about the application of the respirator therapy in the individual case.

Early clinical signs of infantile cerebral paralysis in newborns and infants are described. Indices are analyzed which proved most informative and worth attention in the patients' follow-up provided any risk factors are detected in the family history.

Longitudinal muscle growth was studied in normal and spastic mice. Muscle growth takes place at the musculotendinous junction--the 'muscle growth-plate'. In spastic mice muscle growth is reduced by 45 per cent, resulting in contractures.

Between 1969 and 1981, 20 acetabular augmentations were performed on 17 cerebral palsied patients with progressive hip instability. Average follow-up was 41.5 months, with a range from 24 to 147 months. Evaluation of results was based on assessment of hip stability, center edge (CE) angle, range of motion, and postoperative complications. Eighteen hips were rated good, one fair, and one poor. Stability was achieved in 19 hips. The CE angle was increased from a preoperative mean of -17 degrees to a follow-up mean of 50 degrees. There was no significant difference between preoperative and follow-up hip range of motion. The only complication encountered was a supracondylar femur fracture sustained after spica cast immobilization. Acetabular augmentation can be used effectively in the treatment of progressive hip instability in patients with cerebral palsy.

Parents of cerebral-palsied children who attended a rehabilitation center were asked to complete both a subjective questionnaire and an objective scale to tap their knowledge about cerebral palsy. A 33 percent return was obtained. According to the results from the questionnaire, both parents tended to believe that mothers are more knowledgeable about cerebral palsy. However, an analysis of the results of the scale indicated that a parent's knowledge about the disability and how to treat it is determined or influenced by the sex of the handicapped child. Other information gained suggested that the rehabilitation center therapists are important sources of information about cerebral palsy for most parents, and the parents also suggested ways in which to improve community services to the families of children with cerebral palsy.