Achilles tendon lengthening in cerebral palsy: comparison of inpatient versus ambulatory surgery.

The proper use of outpatient surgery is still being defined. In similar groups of cerebral palsied children, the results of Achilles tendon lengthening were compared in those having inpatient versus outpatient surgery. No significant anesthesia or surgical complication occurred in either group, and independent ambulation in casts was achieved at similar times. Pain medication requirements (based on an analgesic potency scale) averaged 9.5 +/- 6.0 for the children having outpatient surgery compared with 25.8 +/- 22.8 for those having inpatient surgery (p less than 0.02). Outpatient Achilles tendon lengthening provides psychological and economic advantages without compromise of surgical results.