Does Acetabulum Remodel Following Varus Derotation Osteotomy for Perthes' Disease?

Objective We investigated the effect of disease stage, patient's age and final contour of femoral head on acetabulum contour following varus derotation osteotomy of proximal femur (VDRO) in unilateral Perthes's disease. Methods The study is a retrospective analysis of case records of 23 children aged ≥6 years with unilateral Perthes' disease who underwent primary VDRO procedure for containment. Acetabular index (AI) and center edge angle (CEA) were calculated bilaterally in preoperative and follow-up radiographs and compared statistically. Results There were 15 boys and 8 girls. Six hips were in Ib, 8 in IIa and 9 in IIb modified Waldenström stage while undergoing VDRO. The mean age at surgical intervention was 8.7 years. The mean follow-up duration was 3.5 years. All femoral heads were healed at final follow-up and the final Stulberg grades were I = 3, II = 8, III = 7, IV = 5. A significant acetabular dysplasia on the affected side was present preoperatively. At follow-up, the patients operated had significantly raised AI and reduced CEA. There was no significant acetabular remodeling of the affected hips at follow-up even in children operated at younger age (< 8 years) or early stages (stage Ib or IIa). The acetabulum remodeling did not correspond to the final Stulberg grade as well. Conclusion Acetabulum was found involved in early stages of Perthes' disease. Varus derotation femoral osteotomy for the diseased hip showed no significant improvement in acetabular dysplasia even when operated in early disease stages or younger age group. Residual acetabular changes were also noted even with favorable Stulberg grades.

Does Acetabulum Remodel Following Varus Derotation Osteotomy for Perthes' Disease? / O acetábulo sofre remodelamento após a osteotomia derrotatória varizante em pacientes com doença de Perthes?

Abstract Objective We investigated the effect of disease stage, patient's age and final contour of femoral head on acetabulum contour following varus derotation osteotomy of proximal femur (VDRO) in unilateral Perthes's disease. Methods The study is a retrospective analysis of case records of 23 children aged ≥6 years with unilateral Perthes' disease who underwent primary VDRO procedure for containment. Acetabular index (AI) and center edge angle (CEA) were calculated bilaterally in preoperative and follow-up radiographs and compared statistically. Results There were 15 boys and 8 girls. Six hips were in Ib, 8 in IIa and 9 in IIb modified Waldenström stage while undergoing VDRO. The mean age at surgical intervention was 8.7 years. The mean follow-up duration was 3.5 years. All femoral heads were healed at final follow-up and the final Stulberg grades were I = 3, II = 8, III = 7, IV = 5. A significant acetabular dysplasia on the affected side was present preoperatively. At follow-up, the patients operated had significantly raised AI and reduced CEA. There was no significant acetabular remodeling of the affected hips at follow-up even in children operated at younger age (< 8 years) or early stages (stage Ib or IIa). The acetabulum remodeling did not correspond to the final Stulberg grade as well. Conclusion Acetabulum was found involved in early stages of Perthes' disease. Varus derotation femoral osteotomy for the diseased hip showed no significant improvement in acetabular dysplasia even when operated in early disease stages or younger age group. Residual acetabular changes were also noted even with favorable Stulberg grades.

Resumo Objetivo Investigamos o efeito do estágio da doença, idade do paciente e contorno final da cabeça femoral no contorno do acetábulo após a osteotomia derrotatória varizante (VDRO) do fêmur proximal na doença de Perthes unilateral. Métodos O estudo é uma análise retrospectiva de prontuários de 23 crianças com idade ≥ 6 anos com doença de Perthes unilateral que foram submetidas ao procedimento primário de VDRO para contenção. O índice acetabular (AI) e o ângulo da borda central (CEA) foram calculados bilateralmente em radiografias pré-operatórias e de acompanhamento e submetidos à comparação estatística. Resultados Os pacientes eram 15 meninos e oito meninas. À VDRO, seis quadris estavam no estágio de Waldenström modificado Ib, oito no estágio IIa e nove no estágio IIb. A média de idade à intervenção cirúrgica foi de 8,7 anos. A duração média do acompanhamento foi de 3,5 anos. Todas as cabeças femorais estavam consolidadas no último acompanhamento e os graus finais de Stulberg foram I = 3, II = 8, III = 7 e IV = 5. Havia displasia acetabular significativa do lado acometido no período pré-operatório. No acompanhamento, os pacientes operados apresentaram elevação significativa de AI e redução de CEA. Não houve remodelamento acetabular significativo nos quadris acometidos durante o acompanhamento, mesmo em crianças operadas em idade menor (< 8 anos) ou estágios iniciais (estágio Ib ou IIa). O remodelamento do acetábulo também não correspondeu ao grau final de Stulberg. Conclusão A VDRO do fêmur do quadril acometido não levou à melhora significativa da displasia acetabular, mesmo quando a cirurgia foi realizada nos estágios iniciais da doença ou em pacientes mais jovens. Alterações acetabulares residuais também foram observadas mesmo com graus de Stulberg favoráveis.

Emerged donor limb growth morbidity and malalignment after combined ipsilateral tibial and fibular cortical harvest graft in children. Early follow-up report.

The quantity of bone grafts required in certain pediatric conditions is sometimes substantial. This retrospective study details the radiological changes occurring in the donor leg and ankle following the simultaneous harvest of large diaphyseal cortical grafts from the tibia and fibula in 14 children (16 legs). The following preoperative and follow-up radiological parameters were measured and compared for donor legs: the longitudinal continuous regeneration of fibula, distal fibular station, medial proximal tibial angle, lateral distal tibial angle, posterior proximal tibial angle (PPTA), anterior distal tibial angle and interphyseal angle (tibia diaphyseal angulation) in both coronal and sagittal planes. Additionally, the impact of fibular regeneration in combined harvests was separately analyzed. Children were operated at the mean age of 52 months. Mean follow-up of 25.2 months was available. At follow-up, the donor tibia healed completely in all legs whereas fibular regeneration was complete only in 10 legs (62.5%). At follow-up, ankle valgus was present in 6 out of 16 legs (37%) and tibia valga increased in all legs except one (94%). Procurvatum was present in 7 legs. The fibular nonregeneration group was prone to ankle valgus deformity ( P = 0.014), valgus angulation of tibial diaphysis ( P = 0.0076) and lower mean PPTA ( P = 0.026) when compared to the regenerate group. There was a complication of stress fracture in one donor tibia. Combined tibial and fibular harvest is a major surgical undertaking in children. The donor limbs have their share of complications postharvest, more so when the fibula remains nonregenerated. Serial monitoring of donor sites is emphasized.

Unilateral limb orthosis for maintenance of deformity correction following treatment of clubfoot with Ponseti technique: a systematic review.

The systematic review study aimed to investigate the following details in the clubfoot children treated with the Ponseti technique: (1) to review the various designs and prescriptions of unilateral limb orthosis described in literature; (2) to find the outcome following use of this orthosis, especially patient adherence and recurrence; (3) comparison with standard bilateral limb foot abduction orthosis. A literature search was performed for articles published in 'Pubmed (includes Medline indexed journals)' electronic databases for broad key words: 'Clubfoot or CTEV or congenital talipes equinovarus', 'orthosis or brace or splint'. Included were studies that addressed the treatment of idiopathic clubfoot in children up to 2 years of age using the Ponseti technique and use of unilateral limb orthosis for the subsequent maintenance phase. We excluded studies reporting Ponseti technique for nonidiopathic clubfoot, child age older than 2 years at the time of primary treatment, studies where unilateral limb orthosis was used as a tool for primary correction of all or some components of clubfoot and design descriptions of orthosis without practical usage data. Of the 1537 articles from the database, 10 articles were included in the final review. Most studies were retrospective, underpowered and had a short term follow-up. In some series, the use of this orthosis was driven by personal experiences and regional preferences rather than a just scientific explanation. The tested designs were variable and nonstandardized. Being less restrictive, unilateral limb orthosis may have an edge over bilateral limb orthosis in terms of patient adherence. The available comparative studies however showed inferiority of unilateral orthoses when compared to the bilateral limb orthosis in preventing recurrences in clubfoot treatment. There is insufficient evidence to support use of unilateral limb orthosis for maintenance of deformity correction following treatment of clubfoot with the Ponseti technique. Their use was found associated with high recurrence rates.