Objective To investigate the differences in efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with cerebral palsy at different grades of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) by selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR). Methods Relevant literatures on SPR treatment for cerebral palsy were retrieved from Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, China Biology Medicine disc, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and VIP Database. Clinical trials on SPR treatment for cerebral palsy were included for Meta-analysis. At least two researchers independently screened the literatures, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the literatures. Data analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.4 software. Results A total of 2, 726 literatures were retrieved, and 8 literatures were finally included after screening. The results of the Meta-analysis showed that the gross motor function and self-care ability of patients with cerebral palsy at all GMFCS grades improved significantly after surgery, and muscle tone decreased significantly after surgery (P < 0.05). In comparison of the improvement in gross motor function before and after SPR, patients with grades Ⅱ and Ⅲ of GMFCS benefited the most, followed by those with grade Ⅰ, and those with grades Ⅳ and V benefited less. In terms of improving self-care ability, patients with grade Ⅰ benefited the most, followed by those with grade Ⅲ, and those with grades Ⅱ and IV benefited less. No significant adverse reactions were reported in previous literatures. Conclusion SPR is a relatively safe and effective treatment option for patients with cerebral palsy. Patients at grades Ⅱ and Ⅲ of GMFCS benefit the most from SPR, and patients at grades Ⅳ and V with poor preoperative physical status can also benefit from SPR.