[The role of orthopedic surgery in the treatment of spastic patients].

The authors performed 958 operations on spastic patients. Based on this clinical material, they introduce the possibilities and principles of operative treatment. Position of joints in the lower limb, their synergism and compensatory changes in a closed kinetic chain are analysed in the article. These factors must be attended to carefully if one should decide the site and variety of operation to be performed. The authors suggest that patients should be operated on early, in certain cases even preventive operation is necessary. Results are better if children who already can stand and walk are operated on, but in many cases operation itself is needed to enable them to these activities. Results were good in 83,2%, no changes in 3,4%, worse in 4,2 out of the 716 operations evaluated. Operative treatment along with conductive pedagogy and other methods of physiotherapy help these patients to be able to take care of themselves and to become useful members of society.