Early results of supracondylar femoral osteotomy in severe knee flexion contractures in polio patients

ABSTRACT

Twenty one polio patients with severe knee flexion contractures admitted at the Santo Tomas University Hospital, Clinical Division from 1984 to 1990 were studied. There were 11 males and 10 females with age ranging from 12 to 18 years with a mean of 14.3 years. The degree of knee flexion ranged from 45 to 120 degrees with an average of 62.5 degrees. Clinical data included the ranges of motion, the stability of the hip, knee and ankle. Manual muscle testing as well as limb length and girth were recorded. the technique as described by Huckstep was conducted either as a one or two staged procedure with or without preliminary skeletal tractions. One patient required an internal fixation on the osteotomized fragments for stability. Two patients had residual flexion contracture of 5 ad 10 degrees after removal of cast. Only one patient abandoned her braces and opted to use her wheel chair despite healed osteotomy. (Author)