Long term outcomes of surgery as experienced by young people with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Pathways of care are available for people with cerebral palsy (CP) including various conservative and surgical interventions. A common aim of these interventions is to improve functional ability and prevent or reduce the prevalence of pain. There is currently no research evidence that demonstrates whether a surgical approach is more effective in achieving these aims than conservative treatment. Moreover, there is also no available research that explores the experiences of young people and their satisfaction with life in relation to the clinical management of their CP. The aim of this research was, retrospectively, to establish whether young people with CP who had experienced surgery as children to their lower extremities had better long term functional outcomes, less pain and a greater satisfaction of life than young people who had not experienced surgery as children. It also aimed to gain an understanding about their lives with CP and about experiences of the pathways of care that they had received.

Date of Award	Dec 2012
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Brighton