Rectus femoris to gracilis muscle transfer with fractional lengthening of the vastus muscles: a treatment for adults with stiff knee gait.
BACKGROUND
Stiff knee gait, which may be seen in patients with upper motor neuron injury, describes a gait pattern with a relative loss of sagittal knee motion. It interferes with foot clearance during swing, often leading to inefficient compensatory mechanisms and ambulatory dysfunction. Distal rectus femoris muscle transfers and fractional lengthening of the vastus muscles have been performed in adult patients.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe a unique surgical technique and report on initial outcomes.


METHODS
A retrospective case-series study design was used.


METHODS
The patients were adults with stiff knee gait due to stroke or traumatic brain injury who underwent distal rectus femoris muscle transfer with fractional lengthening of the vastus muscles. The patients (19 men and 18 women) had an average age of 51 years at the time of surgery. Lower-extremity examinations, clinical gait analyses, and satisfaction levels were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively.


RESULTS
At a mean follow-up time of 10 months, 36 (97%) of the 37 patients were satisfied with their clinical and functional results, and the average Viosca score improved from 3.1 to 3.5.


CONCLUSIONS
Limitations of the study include use of a retrospective design, lack of a control group, and limited quantitative measures of gait.


CONCLUSIONS
Distal rectus femoris muscle transfer and fractional lengthening of the vastus muscles were found to be a possible treatment for adults with stiff-knee gait caused by stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Namdari
Surena
S
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pill
Stephan G
SG
Makani
Amun
A
Keenan
Mary Ann
MA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000601:surgery*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult