title: Longterm followup of hip and knee soft tissue release in juvenile chronic arthritis.
abstract: Longterm results of soft tissue release for hip and knee flexion deformity in 27 patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) were evaluated. A total of 53 tenotomies were reviewed: 22 hips and 31 knees. Mean age at surgery was 12.1 years, with a mean underlying disease duration of 6.3 years and a postoperative followup of 5 years. Patients were evaluated at 3-6 months, then at one, 3 and 5 years. Results showed a marked drop in flexion contracture and an improvement in joint range up to the first 3 years postsurgery, but beyond this period benefits achieved were gradually partially lost. Only 37% of patients were able to walk before surgery. At one year followup, 81% were able to do so. Soft tissue release thus seems a beneficial therapeutic alternative to preserve both alignment and function in hip and knee flexion deformity affecting patients with JCA.
authors: Rheumatology Section, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Moreno Alvarez
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Espada
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Maldonado-Cocco
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Gagliardi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors