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BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment of severe acetabular dysplasia with subluxation of the femoral head or the presence of a secondary acetabulum remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to analyze the extent of surgical correction and the early clinical results obtained with the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy for the treatment of severely dysplastic hips in adolescent and young adult patients. METHODS: Sixteen hips in thirteen patients with an average age of 17.6 years (range, 13.0 to 31.8 years) were classified as having severe acetabular dysplasia (Group IV or V according to the Severin classification). Eight hips were classified as subluxated, and eight had a secondary acetabulum. Preoperatively, all patients had hip pain and sufficient hip joint congruency on radiographs to be considered candidates for the osteotomy. All sixteen hips underwent a Bernese periacetabular osteotomy, and six of them underwent a concomitant proximal femoral osteotomy. Postoperatively, the hips were assessed radiographically to evaluate correction of deformity, healing of the osteotomy site, and progression of osteoarthritis. Clinical results and hip function were measured with the Harris hip score at an average of 4.2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: Comparison of preoperative and follow-up radiographs demonstrated an average improvement of 44.6° (from -20.5° to 24.1°) in the lateral center-edge angle of Wiberg, an average improvement of 51.0° (from -25.4° to 25.6°) in the anterior center-edge angle of Lequesne and de Seze, and an average improvement of 25.9° (from 37.3° to 11.4°) in acetabular roof obliquity. The hip center was translated medially an average of 10 mm (range, 0 to 31 mm). All iliac osteotomy sites healed. The average Harris hip score improved from 73.4 points preoperatively to 91.3 points at the time of the latest follow-up. Eleven of the thirteen patients (fourteen of the sixteen hips) were satisfied with the result of the surgery, and fourteen hips had a good or excellent clinical result. Major complications included loss of acetabular fixation, which required an additional surgical procedure, in one patient and overcorrection of the acetabulum and an associated ischial nonunion in another patient. Both patients had a good clinical result at the time of the latest follow-up. There were no major neurovascular injuries or intra-articular fractures. CONCLUSIONS: The periacetabular osteotomy is an effective technique for surgical correction of a severely dysplastic acetabulum in adolescents and young adults. In this series, the early clinical results were very good at an average of 4.2 years postoperatively; the two major complications did not compromise the good clinical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The results of hemiepiphysiodesis for the treatment of late-onset tibia vara have been reported to be favorable, but the technique requires careful timing and an accurate estimation of skeletal age. Hemiepiphyseal stapling does not require a careful estimation of skeletal age, and it has been reported to yield good results with low morbidity. However, we are not aware of any study evaluating the intermediate-term radiographic results or complications of this procedure. Methods: Twenty-six patients with thirty-three extremities with late-onset tibia vara were treated with proximal tibial hemiepiphyseal stapling. Fourteen extremities had substantial concomitant distal femoral varus and also had hemiepiphyseal stapling of the distal part of the femur. Eighteen patients (twenty-three involved extremities) had juvenile-onset tibia vara and eight patients (ten involved extremities) had adolescent-onset tibia vara. The mean age at the time of stapling was 11.8 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 3.8 years. We reviewed standardized standing radiographs to determine the mechanical axis deviation, the medial proximal tibial angle, the lateral distal femoral angle, and the zone of the knee through which the mechanical axis passed. Results: The mean mechanical axis deviation improved from 58 mm (range, 27 to 157 mm) preoperatively to 22 mm (range, -33 to 117 mm) at the time of the last follow-up, and the mean medial proximal tibial angle improved from 77° (range, 500 to 85°) to 85° (range, 48° to 95°). In the fourteen lower extremities in which distal femoral hemiepiphyseal stapling was performed, the mean lateral distal femoral angle improved from 96° (range, 92° to 100°) to 86° (range, 79° to 97°). At the time of the final follow-up, seven extremities were considered to be in moderate varus; four, in mild varus; twenty, in normal alignment; and two, in valgus. No differences in radiographic outcome were noted between the juvenile and adolescent forms of tibia vara. Only one of the four extremities with severe preoperative varus was corrected to normal alignment; the remaining three were left with moderate varus. Conclusions: Hemiepiphyseal stapling of the lateral aspect of the proximal tibial physis and, as needed, the lateral aspect of the distal femoral physis is safe and effective in children with late-onset tibia vara if the physes are sufficiently open and the varus deformity is mild to moderate. Hemiepiphyseal stapling is particularly effective in patients who are ten years of age or younger. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia remains difficult and controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of a technique consisting of excision of the pseudarthrosis, autologous bone-grafting, and insertion of a Williams intramedullary rod into the tibia. Initial consolidation occurred in eighteen of the twenty-one patients. Refracture occurred in twelve patients; five fractures healed with closed treatment, five healed after an additional surgical procedure, and two ultimately required amputation. Ten patients had an ankle valgus deformity after tibial union. Eleven patients had a residual limb-length discrepancy of >2 cm; six required a contralateral distal femoral and/or proximal tibial epiphyseodesis, two had a tibial lengthening, and one used a shoe-lift. Five patients had an amputation: two, because of a recalcitrant fracture; two, because of a limb-length discrepancy (6 and 9 cm); and one, because of a chronic lower-extremity deformity. This technique produced a satisfactory long-term functional outcome in sixteen of twenty-one patients and should be considered for the management of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with congenital clubfoot often have residual deformity, pain, and limited function in adolescence and young adulthood. These patients represent a heterogeneous group that often requires an individualized management strategy. This article reviews the available literature on this topic while proposing a descriptive classification system based on a review of patients at our institution who underwent surgery for problems related to previous clubfoot deformity during the period between January 1999 and January 2012. Seventy-two patients (93 feet) underwent surgical treatment for the late effects of clubfoot deformity at an average age of 13 years (range 9 to 19 years). All patients had been treated at a young age with serial casting, and most had at least one previous surgery on the affected foot or feet. Five common patterns of pathology identified were as follows: undercorrection, overcorrection, dorsal bunion, anterior ankle impingement, and lateral hindfoot impingement. Management pathways for each group of the presenting problems is described. To our knowledge, this topic review represents the largest report of adolescent and young adult patients with residual clubfoot deformity in the literature.

Over the last 40 years, anatomic reduction with plate stabilization has become the standard in adult patients with diaphyseal fractures of the radius and ulna. When operative fixation has been indicated in skeletally immature patients with these fractures, a variety of techniques have been reported, with intramedullary fixation becoming increasingly accepted. There is currently significant variability in the treatment of adolescents with forearm fractures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and radiographic outcomes in the adolescent population after intramedullary fixation of both bone forearm fractures. A retrospective review identified 32 patients 12-18 years of age who had undergone intramedullary fixation of both forearm bones in the past 20 years at our institution. Galeazzi, Monteggia, radial head, and distal metaphyseal fractures were excluded. Radiographic evaluation was performed to determine union and postoperative radial bow. Clinical follow-up was carried out for postoperative complications and range of motion of the wrist, forearm, and elbow. The mean age of the patients was 14.1 years. A total of 19 fractures were closed injuries, nine were grade 1, three were grade 2, and one fracture was a grade 3b. Of the patients, 15.6% had limited postoperative range of motion. All patients in the older age group, 15-18 years of age, had a normal range of motion. A decrease in radial bow was not associated with limitation in motion. There was a 98% union rate, and all unions occurred by 7.5 months. Only three major complications occurred, two refractures and one ulnar hardware migration, and subsequent radius nonunion occurred in the one grade 3b injury. Flexible intramedullary nailing of both bone forearm fractures provides reliable bony union and excellent postoperative clinical results in adolescents. Level of evidence, IV.

We retrospectively analyzed cases of intra-articular medial malleolar fractures in skeletally-immature patients (Salter-Harris III and IV) with suboptimal outcomes at St. Louis Children's Hospital and Shriner's Hospital for Children. Common causes of poor outcome were frac­ture malunion or malreduction and physeal damage. Malreductions of only 2 mm does not appear to be toler­ated and the concept of "remodeling" does not apply to these fracture patterns. Based on this study, we "recom­mend" fracture reduction and fixation if there is greater than 1 mm of fracture step-off..

The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficacy of femoral nerve blocks (FNBs) in decreasing postoperative narcotic use in adolescents undergoing patellar realignment surgery (PRS). All patients who underwent PRS at 2 children's hospitals between 1998 and 2002 were included in the study. Patients were grouped according to postoperative analgesia: FNB (n = 14), as-needed intravenous morphine (PRN-IV; n = 16), or patient-controlled analgesia using morphine (PCA; n = 13). Total postoperative i.v. morphine use was statistically significantly different among the 3 groups: 9.0 mg for FNB, 26.43 mg for PRN-IV, and 64.7 mg for PCA. FNB use was effective in significantly decreasing postoperative i.v. narcotic use.

Seventy-one patients with 83 septic joints due to idiopathic septic arthritis were investigated retrospectively. Forty-three joints were closed primarily while 40 underwent delayed primary closure. Two joints in each group failed treatment and had to be reopened after definitive closure. Joints in patients 7 years of age or older had a substantially higher failure rate (12%), with either primary or delayed closure, than joints in patients younger than 7 years (1.7%). Two of 13 patients with a polymorphonuclear leukocyte count in the synovial fluid greater than 100,000 required repeat debridement after final closure. Three of the four patients who required repeat debridement showed evidence of osteomyelitis. The average length of stay was longer in the delayed primary closure group (7.0 days) than in the primary closure group (5.6 days). This study suggests that primary closure is a viable alternative to delayed primary closure with shorter hospital stays and similar outcomes in children with idiopathic septic arthritis. Care should be taken in children aged 7 and older or when concurrent osteomyelitis exists.

Background: The etiology of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is poorly understood. An association has been found in the past between Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and smoking as well as low socio-economic status., Methods: A prospective study was carried out in which families with a child diagnosed with Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease were interviewed about the presence and duration of household second-hand smoke exposure to children. A control group of randomly selected families seen at our institution were interviewed with identical questions. The radiographs of children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease were reviewed and classified according to the Herring lateral pillar classification system., Results: Thirty-eight of the 60 patients (63.3%) with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease were noted to have at least one smoker living in the child's household with a mean of 1.03 smoker-years per year of life exposure to smoke. The median income of the patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease was USD 20,300. The median income of the patients in the control group was USD 17,000. Thirty-eight of the 96 control patients (39.6%) were noted to have at least one smoker living in the child's household with a mean of 0.48 smoker-years per year of life. A significant association was noted between living with a smoker and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease as well as between increasing smoke exposure and increased risk of developing Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. No significant association was noted between lower income and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. There was no association between increased smoke exposure and increased severity of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease as measured by the lateral pillar classification., Conclusions: The presence of second-hand smoke seems to be a significant risk factor in the development of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. The presence of second-hand smoke may represent the 'unknown industrial factor' that has been discussed.

This study assessed medial translation of the hip joint achieved by the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) in correcting residual acetabular dysplasia deformities. 86 hips in 75 patients with an average age of 25 years (range, 12-50) were treated for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with a periacetabular osteotomy. Radiographic analysis was performed to assess correction of the acetabular deformity with specific attention to the horizontal position of the hip joint center. All hips were followed until bony union of the iliac osteotomy and the average follow-up was 28 months. The lateral center edge angle improved an average 31.6 degrees (-0.4 degrees preoperative, 31.2 degrees at follow-up). The anterior center edge angle improved 39.3 degrees (-4.5 degrees to 34.8 degrees). The acetabular roof obliquity improved an average 21.8 degrees (25.1 degrees to 3.3 degrees). Preoperatively, the average distance from the medial aspect of the femoral head to the ilioischial line was 17.6 mm. This distance was decreased to an average 7.8 mm postoperatively. This change resulted in an average medial translation of the hip joint center of 9.8 mm, (range -6 to 31mm). Overall, some degree of medial translation of the hip joint center was obtained in 79 (92%) of the hips. Four (5%) were maintained in the same horizontal position, and 3 (3%) had slight lateral repositioning. For the hips translated medially, the average change was 10.0 mm, and 72% of all hips had an optimal correction with the distance between the medial aspect of the femoral head and the ilioischial line being between 0 and 10 mm. This study demonstrates that in addition to optimizing femoral head coverage, a major and distinct advantage of the periacetabular osteotomy is reproducible and consistent medial translation of the hip joint center.

Forty-six tibial fractures in 44 children, which were treated by external fixation at our institution between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1999, were retrospectively identified. Twenty-nine fractures were treated with monolateral fixation and 16 were treated with circular fixation. The average age of the patients was 11 years 8 months (range 3 years 11 months-17 years 7 months). External fixators were left in place for a mean of 13.7 weeks (range 9-33 weeks). Eleven significant complications occurred. Loss of reduction necessitating return to the operating room occurred in four patients (13%) and malunion occurred in an additional patient with monolateral fixators. Four of these patients had comminuted fracture patterns. All of the patients with loss of reduction were 12 years of age or older. No patient with a circular fixator developed mal-alignment. Final alignment in 45 of the 46 fractures was acceptable. External fixation is a safe and effective method of treating unstable diaphyseal tibia fractures in children. Patients over the age of 12 years, particularly with comminuted fracture patterns may be more effectively treated with circular external fixation or, if treated with monolateral fixation, require close observation.