Soft-tissue release for spastic hip subluxation in cerebral palsy

Children with spastic hip subluxation secondary to cerebral palsy were treated with a standard protocol that focused on early detection of the subluxation using physical examination and anteroposterior pelvis radiographs. Using limited hip abduction of < or =30 degrees and subluxation of > or =25% migration percentage as indications, patients had open adductor and iliopsoas lengthenings with immediate postoperative mobilization and no abduction bracing. The protocol was applied to 74 children with a mean age of 4.5 years and had 147 hips surgically addressed. Of these hips initially, 20% were normal (migration percentage <25%), 52% were mildly subluxated (migration percentage 25-39%), 22% were moderately subluxated (migration percentage 40-59%), and 6% were severely subluxated (migration percentage > or =60%). At a final postoperative follow-up of 39 months, 54% of these hips were classified as good (migration percentage <25%), 34% were fair (migration percentage 25-39%), and 12% were poor (migration percentage > or =40%). Of this patient population, 69% were nonambulators and their outcomes were not statistically different from children who could walk. No child developed an abduction contracture or wide-based gait that required treatment. With early detection and applying this treatment algorithm, 80% of children with spastic hip disease should have good or fair outcomes. Longer follow-up will be required to determine how many children will need bony reconstruction to maintain stable and located hips at the conclusion of growth.