Clinical efficacy of minimally invasive treatment of knee flexion deformity in children with cerebral palsy and its effect on knee joint function

MA Tao; QIN Yonghui; MA Yongqiang; WANG Haoting; SHAO Jichao; ZHANG Yanci; CHAI Xuejiao

Abstract：Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of the treatment of knee flexion deformity in children with cerebral palsy using cross suture of the semitendinosus and gracilis and the influence on knee joint function. Methods Seventy patients with knee flexion deformity caused by cerebral palsy were equally divided into two groups according to random number scale. The treatment group was treated with the suture of the posterior semitendinosus and gracilis muscle, and the "Z" shape of the semitendinosus tendon was cut off. The control group was treated with the Ilizarov external fixator. The clinical efficacy of the treatment was evaluated in both groups 3 months after surgery. The preoperative and postoperative active range of motion (AROM), manual muscle test (MMT) and Muller stability of the knee joint were observed in both groups. The recurrence rate of the two groups was observed at the end of 6 months.Results The excellent and good rate was 94.29% in the treatment group compared with 80% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The clinical efficacy of the treatment group was better than that of the control group. AROM, MMT and Muller knee stability score were significantly improved (P<0.05) in both groups after treatment. The difference in AROM, MMT and Muller knee stability score between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). AROM, MMT and Muller knee stability score improved more significantly in the treatment group than in the control group. The recurrence rate of the treatment group was 2.86%, butwas 17.14% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion It is effective to treat knee flexion deformity in children with cerebral palsy withminimally invasive semitendinosus tendon suture.