Diplegia - History of The Term Diplegia

History of The Term Diplegia

In 1890 Sachs and Peterson first referenced to the term Diplegia, along with the word paraplegia, for their Cerebral Palsy classification. In 1955 the word diplegia was used in the clinical field to describe a patient whose limbs were affected in a symmetrical way. This included limbs on the same side of the body thus including hemiplegia. Later in 1956 diplegia was presented as a form of bilateral Cerebral Palsy affecting like parts on either side of the body. In 1965 Milani Comparetti distinguished diplegia from tetraplegia by considering the patient’s upper limb’s ability to express a sufficient support reaction. Thus diplegia usually refers to just symmetry of one body part or limb, as the legs, or arms. While tetraplegia or quadriplegia refers to paralysis of all 4, both arms and legs.