Side-to-side growth discrepancies in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: association with function, activity and social participation / Discrepâncias no crescimento dos dimídios em crianças com paralisia cerebral hemiplégica: associação com a função, atividades e participação social

Objective: Evaluate side-to-side discrepancies in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP), and investigate associations of these discrepancies with patients’ age at initiation of physical therapy, motor and cognitive function, and degree of activities and social participation. Method: We obtained eight side-to-side measurements from 24 HCP children with mean age 49.3±5.2 months. Results: Early initiation of physical therapy was associated with lower discrepancy in hand length (p=0.037). Lower foot length discrepancy was associated with lower requirement for caregiver assistance in activities related to mobility. Increased side-to-side discrepancy was associated with reduced wrist extension and increased spasticity. Discrepancy played a larger role in children with hemineglect and in those with right involvement. Conclusion: Increased discrepancy in HCP children was associated with reduced degree of activity/social participation. These results suggest an association between functional use of the extremities and limb growth. .

Objetivo: Avaliar a discrepância entre o crescimento dos lados do corpo em crianças com paralisia cerebral hemiplégica (PCH), e investigar sua associação com a idade de início do tratamento de fisioterapia, função motora e cognitiva, grau de atividades e participação social. Método: Comparamos oito medidas obtidas de 24 crianças com PCH e com média de idade de 49,3±5,2 meses. Resultados: O início precoce da fisioterapia se relacionou à menor discrepância no comprimento da mão (p=0,037). A menor discrepância no comprimento do pé se relacionou à menor necessidade de ajuda do cuidador em atividades de mobilidade. A maior discrepância esteve relacionada à menor extensão de punho e à maior espasticidade. A discrepância foi mais importante em crianças com heminegligência e com envolvimento à direita. Conclusão: Crianças com PCH com maior discrepância apresentaram menor atividade/participação social. Os resultados sugerem associação entre o uso funcional da mão e o crescimento das extremidades. .

Patrones del movimiento pélvico en pacientes con hemiplejía espástica / Pelvic movement patterns in patients with spastic hemiplegia

El tratamiento adecuado de patologías que alteran la marcha normal, como por ejemplo, encefalopatías estáticas tales como la parálisis cerebral infantil, requiere de la identificación precisa de los patrones de movimiento asociados y sus causas, con el propósito de seleccionar el tratamiento más apropiado en términos de efectividad. Identificar y caracterizar patrones cinemáticos de la pelvis en el plano transverso como respuesta compensatoria a deformidades de los miembros inferiores en pacientes pediátricos con hemiplejía espástica. La muestra utilizada fue de 66 pacientes con disfunción motora subtipo hemiplejia espástica secuela de parálisis cerebral infantil, del Hospital Ortopédico Infantil de Caracas, entre los años 1999 y 2004. A cada paciente se le realizó un análisis de marcha siguiendo el protocolo del Laboratorio de Marcha del Hospital Ortopédico Infantil. A los patrones de cinemática obtenidos se les midieron las desviaciones de los movimientos pélvicos en los tres planos así como también la progresión del pie y la rotación de cadera evidenciadas por el examen físico (anteversión femoral). Particular énfasis se realizó en el análisis de las desviaciones en el plano transverso. Se obtuvieron los patrones de movimiento con características propias para cada subgrupo: Tipo I, Tipo II, Tipo III y Tipo IV. Los hallazgos son consistentes con los reportados en la literatura en lo concerniente a los planos sagital y coronal. Sin embargo, en el plano transverso se demostraron patrones consistentes con deformidad ósea presente en el miembro ipsilateral. Las respuestas compensatorias observadas en pelvis en dicho plano tienen como objetivo mantener ambos pies en la línea de progresión.

Adequate treatment of pathologies that alter normal gait, for example, spastic encephalopaties such as cerebral palsy, require precise identification of their movement patterns and causes, in order to select the most effective treatment. To identify and characterize transverse plane kinematic patterns of the pelvis as a compensatory response to lower limb deformities in pediatric patients with spastic hemiplegias. 66 patients with spastic hemiplegia subtype motor dysfunction, from the Hospital Ortopédico Infantil (HOI) at Caracas,Venezuela, were studied between 1999 and 2004. A gait analysis was performed in each patient following the HOI’s protocol. Deviations of pelvic movements were measured on all three planes to the kinematics gait patterns obtained, Measurements of foot progression and hip rotation (femoral anteversion) were achieved via clinical examination. Movement patterns on spatial planes were obtained and characterized in terms of its deviations, then classified in four wellfeatured subtypes: Type I, Type II, Type III y Type IV. Special emphasis was placed on analysis of deviations in the transverse plane. Findings for sagital and coronal planes are consistent with those reported by the literature. However, movement patterns that are consistent with bone deformities in the ipsilateral limb were demonstrated for transverse plane, and the pelvic coping responses for that plane tend to maintain both feet aligned with the gait progression line.

Comparative study of skin folding of dominant and nondominant hemibodies in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy

OBJECTIVE: To compare skin folds in the dominant and nondominant halves of the body in a group (A) of 20 individuals with cerebral palsy and spastic hemiplegia and a group (B) of 30 normal volunteers. METHOD: Body mass, height and skin folds were measured, and the percentage of body fat was estimated by adipose tissue measurement and densitometry. The mean age in group (A) was 24.6 ± 5.6 years (ranging from 16.1 to 38.1 years). The mean age in group (B) was 25.3 ± 3.8 years (ranging from 19.0 to 34.11 years). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed between the dominant and nondominant halves of the body for biceps, triceps, thoracic, suprailiac, thigh and midcalf skin folds in group A; the biceps, subscapular, midaxillary, suprailiac, abdominal, thigh and midcalf skin folds in group B; and the percentage fat obtained by adipose tissue measurement in both groups. Statistically significant differences were observed for the triceps skin fold when the dominant halves of the body in groups A and B were compared. Statistically significant differences were also observed for the biceps, triceps, thigh and midcalf skin folds as well as the adipose tissue measurements between the dominant and nondominant halves of the body in the two groups. The percentage fat as estimated by densitometry was significantly correlated with the adipose tissue measurement. CONCLUSION: There were statistically significant differences between the skin folds in the dominant and nondominant halves of the body, both in group A and in group B (greater in group A). There was a statistically significant correlation in the percentage fat as estimated by densitometry and as measured by adipose tissue in groups A and B.

Hemiplegia por acidente vascular cerebral: tratamento da espasticidade de membros inferiores através de bloqueio com toxina botulítica do tipo - A e fenol / Hemiplegy by stroke: treatment of the spasticity in lowerlimbs blocked by Phenol an Botulinum Toxin A

O tratamento associado de bloqueios periféricos parece näo deixar dúvidas quanto a sua eficácia no que se refere à capacidade de provocar relaxamento da espasticidade. Devemos considerar contudo, a importância do processo de reabilitaçäo global, visto que a somatória de melhorias funcionais é o fator que realmente faz a diferença para a qualidade de vida do paciente. Assim sendo, o tratamento cinesioterápico de estimulaçäo funcional e de fortalecimento dos grupos musculares oponentes aos bloqueados säo fundamentais para o sucesso do procedimento. Também é importante a análise da relaçäo custo-benefício, considerando-se os custos dos bloqueios. Além disto, é necessário a continuaçäo das pesquisas e do intercâmbio de informaçöes no que se refere às dosagens, técnicas, indicaçöes e contra-indicaçöes. Nos parece ser este um caminho seguro para o aprimoramento e aumento das possibilidades reais de tratamento destes pacientes

Abordagem proprioceptiva no tratamento fisioterápico em paciente hemiplégico / Boarding receptive on treatment physiotherapic in hemiplegic patient

A hemiplegia é uma patologia que se caracteriza pela perda da motilidade voluntária em um hemicorpo, além de alterar o tônus muscular. O presente trabalho faz uma abordagem de tratamento fisioterápico através do método Bobath que propöe reeducar o "homem como um todo" para redescoberta dos movimentos que eram realizados antes da patologia

Contralateral hemiplegia in herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Role of temporal artery biopsy.

We describe clinical, radiological and pathological findings in a case of herpes zoster ophthalmicus who developed contralateral hemiplegia. The CT scan showed discrete infarction of the right internal capsule and the right carotid angiogram showed concentric narrowing of the supraclinoid portion of right internal carotid artery. Superficial temporal artery biopsy showed infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells without any granuloma formation or giant cells. The importance of trigemino-vascular connections in the pathogenesis of this complication of herpes zoster ophthalmicus and the role of temporal artery biopsy in the diagnosis of arteritis following herpes zoster are discussed.