Despite a tendency for rotational abnormalities of the lower leg in children to improve spontaneously over time, some fail to correct and require corrective derotation osteotomy. In this retrospective study, we report the technique and results of the distal transverse tibial and fibular derotation osteotomy with Kirschner-wire fixation performed in 63 limbs of children with cerebral palsy, clubfoot, idiopathic tibial torsion, and myelomeningocele, as well as other less common conditions. There were no significant infections, neurologic complications, delayed or nonunions, or compartment syndromes as a result of the osteotomy. There were three (4.8%) complications, including late fracture (one), cross-union (one), and distal physeal closure (one). We conclude that transverse, same-level, distal tibial and fibular osteotomy fixated with crossed Kirschner wires is a safe, efficient, and effective surgical approach to the treatment of children with tibial torsion in a variety of clinical conditions.

Patients with cerebral palsy often develop rotational deformities of the lower extremities. These deformities may be caused by abnormal muscle tone, soft-tissue contractures, or bony malalignment. When rotational deformity persists after correction of the soft-tissue components, bony-realignment procedures are warranted to improve gait in ambulatory patients. We performed a retrospective review of 10 ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and tibial torsion who underwent 13 distal tibial and fibular derotation osteotomies. Preoperative and postoperative three-dimensional gait analysis were used to determine the effect of distal tibial and fibular derotation osteotomy on tibial rotation, foot-progression angle, gait velocity, and moments about the ankle. Mean tibial rotation and foot-progression angle were significantly improved by the procedure. Gait velocity improved but not significantly. Moment data demonstrated a trend toward normal. This study demonstrates that the derotational distal tibial and fibular osteotomy stabilized with percutaneous crossed Kirschner wires is a safe, reliable, and effective procedure for correcting rotational deformities of the leg in patients with cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disorder originating in childhood and spasticity is the most frequent manifestation. The treatment strategies to reduce spasticity and thereby ameliorate the attendant gait abnormalities have included physiotherapy, orthoses, antispastic medications, orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery. Of these, the neurosurgical procedure known as selective dorsal rhizotomy has gained widespread exposure, and indeed acceptance, over the past two decades, despite there being some controversy as to its efficacy. In this paper we review: cerebral palsy, including classification and treatment; selective dorsal rhizotomy, including historical background, patient selection, operative procedure, clinical outcome and complications; and gait analysis studies, including temporal-distance parameters, joint kinematics, normalisation for growth, and long-term follow-up. Both the short-term (1 year) and long-term (10 years) evidence has demonstrated that selective dorsal rhizotomy not only reduces spasticity but it also provides lasting functional benefits as measured by improved range of motion during gait. Rhizotomy is not a panacea for children with spastic diplegia but it is an important treatment option for the clinician to consider.