Improving health-related quality of life in middle-age children with cerebral palsy following selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening and functional physiotherapy

V C Skoutelis; A D Kanellopoulos; S Vrettos; Z Dimitriadis; A Dinopoulos; P J Papagelopoulos; V A Kontogeorgakos

doi:10.1016/j.recot.2023.08.018

Improving health-related quality of life in middle-age children with cerebral palsy following selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening and functional physiotherapy

Rev Esp Cir Ortop Traumatol. 2024 Jan-Feb;68(1):57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.recot.2023.08.018. Epub 2023 Sep 7.

[Article in English, Spanish]

Authors

V C Skoutelis¹, A D Kanellopoulos², S Vrettos³, Z Dimitriadis⁴, A Dinopoulos⁵, P J Papagelopoulos⁶, V A Kontogeorgakos⁶

Affiliations

¹ Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece; Department of Physiotherapy, Laboratory of Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Study of Motion, School of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, Egaleo, Attica, Greece; Department of Physiotherapy, ATTIKON University General Hospital, Chaidari, Attica, Greece. Electronic address: vskoutelis@gmail.com.
² Department of Orthopaedics, IASO Children's Hospital, Maroussi, Attica, Greece.
³ ENA Pediatric Physiotherapy Centre, Chalandri, Attica, Greece.
⁴ Department of Physiotherapy, Health and Quality of Life Research Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Lamia, Greece.
⁵ Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece; Third Department of Paediatrics, ATTIKON University General Hospital, Chaidari, Attica, Greece.
⁶ Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Attica, Greece; First Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, ATTIKON University General Hospital, Chaidari, Attica, Greece.

PMID: 37689354
DOI: 10.1016/j.recot.2023.08.018

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) experience decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to assess the HRQOL of children with CP before versus after a combined program of minimally invasive selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening (SPML) and functional physiotherapy.

Material and methods: A single-group pre-posttest design was used. Twenty-six middle childhood children with spastic CP, aged 5-7 years, with Gross Motor Function Classification System levels II-IV underwent SPML surgery and 9 months of postoperative functional strength training therapy. The proxy version of the DISABKIDS-Smiley questionnaire was completed by one parent of each child. Dependent t-tests were used to compare mean pre- and post-measurement scores.

Results: After the 9-month intervention, the children with CP had significantly higher quality of life scores (mean difference, 11.06±9.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.40-14.71; p<0.001).

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that children with CP had better HRQOL after a combined program of minimally invasive SPML surgery and functional physiotherapy (ACTRN12618001535268).

Keywords: Alargamiento miofascial percutáneo selectivo; Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud; Cerebral palsy; Fisioterapia funcional; Functional physiotherapy; Health-related quality of life; Parálisis cerebral; Selective percutaneous myofascial lengthening.