Ultraflex
provided braces to study patients
participating in two research studies on spastic hemiplegia
in children. The studies were conducted by researchers at the
Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Micro Surgery in
Louisville, KY.
Research
Results Show Marked Improvements In Study Patients With Spastic
Hemiplegia
The
efficacy of this treatment was studied both retrospectively
and prospectively, documenting marked improvements in:
- limb posture
- deformity and
- function.
Retrospective
Study -the
study was designed after the fact, following years of treatment,
to assess the effectiveness of custom bracing and neuromuscular
electrical stimulation. The retrospective study looks back to
see what the results were of the treatment protocol based on
its study design. See Retrospective Study (PDF)
Prospective
Study - this
type of study is designed to assess treatment results of a pre-determined
study protocol. See Prospective Study(PDF)
Retrospective
Research Study:
"NEUROMUSCULAR
ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND DYNAMIC BRACING AS A TREATMENT
FOR UPPER-EXTREMITY SPASTICITY IN CHILDREN WITH
CEREBRAL PALSY"
L.R. Scheker, S.P. Chesher and S. Ramirez
From the Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Micro Surgery
and the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Division of
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Louisville KY, USA
|
The
retrospective study was published in the Journal of Hand
Surgery (British and European Volume, 1999) 24B: 226 232.
Nineteen
patients were treated in the retrospective study. Mean age of
the children was ten years three months with ten boys and nine
girls. All patients moved up one to three levels in Zancolli
classification and showed a significant improvement in the
quality of upper extremity function.
Treatment
Regimen For Children In Both Research Studies On Spastic Hemiplegia
The
treatment regimen consisted of two 30-minute therapy sessions
daily using the dynamic/static bracing and neuromuscular electrical
stimulation.
At
night, patients wore the brace for a minimum of 6 hours. No
stimulation was used during this time.
Improvements
in reach, grasp, pinch were the most noticeable results
of the research on children with spastic hemiplegia.
Prospective
Research Study:
"EVALUATION
OF COMBINED NEUROMUSCULAR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND DYNAMIC
ORTHOTIC MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN WITH HEMIPLEGIC SPASTIC CEREBRAL
PALSY"
As presented at the American Academy of
Cerebral Palsy Developmental Medicine
on September 16, 1999
From the Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Micro Surgery
and the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Division of
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Louisville KY, USA
|
Santiago Ramirez, MD; Steve Chesher, CPTA, BOC; and Luis R.
Scheker, MD
Objective:
In a previous study, we showed that neuromuscular electrical
stimulation (NMES) combined with dynamic bracing is a safe
and effective treatment of upper extremity spasticity in
children with cerebral palsy.
The
objective of this present study was to determine if the combined
therapy of NMES and dynamic bracing is more effective than NMES
or bracing alone.
Conclusions:
A
more noticeable improvement in global hand function was observed
in patients treated with the combined therapy of NMES and
dynamic bracing than in patients treated with either NMES or
dynamic bracing alone.
This non-invasive therapy could reduce the need for pharmacological
injections and surgical procedures. More research is needed
to determine the length of the effects of the therapy.
In
Memoriam: Steve Chesher 1957 - 2000. Consummate professional,
dedicated husband, father and friend.
To
request the complete research studies on children
with spastic hemiplegia.
To
view a video on the treatment
regimen or to see a video
about one patient's improvements.
