Assessing the expected outcomes of orthopedic surgical care for children

A sample of 175 parents of children treated operatively for orthopedic problems were interviewed before surgery to ascertain their expectations with regard to specific functional changes postoperatively. They were interviewed about changes from 6 to 12 months after surgery. Medical records of a sample of this group were reviewed for any notes about functional status. Of this group, 54% said a specific function named preoperatively was "much better." Only a third of the parents from Mexico understood the nature of the procedure performed 6 to 12 months postoperatively, and only 40% of medical records contained notes about functional status pre- or postoperatively.