Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a static neurologic condition resulting from a brain lesion occurring before the completion of brain development. The goal of management is not cure, but increasing patients' functionality and improving their capabilities and maintaining their locomotion, cognitive development, social interaction and independence. The best results are obtained with an early and intensive management that includes physical and occupational therapy, medical and surgical treatments, mechanical aids and the management of concomitant conditions.
Objective: To assess the neuromotor improvement in patients with spastic CP after surgical treatment at the National Rehabilitation Institute.
Patients and methods: Patients with a diagnosis of spastic CP who presented at the Pediatric Rehabilitation outpatient service were referred to the Joint CP Clinic from January 2007 to January 2008, and underwent surgical treatment of the pelvic limbs. They were assessed 3 times and underwent neuromotor tests with gross motor function measure (GMFM), which was rated with the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS).
Results: Most of the patients had improvement in the muscle tone and contracture assessments as well as in the GMFM, and their self-mobility increased one level.
Conclusions: Significant improvements were seen in the muscle tone and contractures after surgery; the GMFM and the self-mobility levels in the GMFCS also improved. Multiple level surgery together with a postoperative physical therapy program results in considerable improvements in the gross motor function measure of patients with spastic CP.