We analysed retrospectively the risk factors leading to femoral overgrowth after flexible intramedullary nailing in 43 children (mean age 7.1 years (3.6 to 12.0)) with fractures of the shaft of the femur. We reviewed their demographic data, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, the type and location of the fractures, the nail–canal diameter (NCD) ratios and femoral overgrowth at a mean follow-up of 40.7 months (25.2 to 92.7). At that time, the children were divided into two groups, those with femoral overgrowth of < 1 cm (Group 1), and those with overgrowth of ≥ 1 cm (Group 2). The mean femoral overgrowth of all patients was 0.6 cm at final follow-up. Overgrowth of ≥ 1 cm was noted in 11 children (25.6%). The NCD ratio was significantly lower in Group 2 than in Group 1, with an odds ratio of 30.0 (p = 0.003). We believe that a low NCD ratio is an indicator of an unstable configuration with flexible intramedullary nailing, and have identified an association between a low NCD ratio and femoral overgrowth resulting in leg-length discrepancy after flexible intramedullary nailing in paediatric femoral shaft fractures. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:254–8

Twenty-six children conservatively treated for fracture of the femoral shaft have been reviewed with regard to differences in limb length seven to ten years after the injury. In nine patients the clinical measurements were checked against radiographic measurements of both femora and tibiae. The following conclusions were reached. Nearly two-thirds of the patients had overgrowth of the femur of 10 millimetres or more. Shortening of 15 to 20 millimetres at the fracture site was well compensated for by accelerated growth. Growth acceleration seemed to take place during the healing period and the difference at the end of healing was permanent. Overgrowth was promoted by comminuted and long oblique fractures and by overriding of the fracture ends, but was not influenced by the age at fracture, the duration of treatment or the level of fracture of the shaft. Growth of the tibia was not affected by the femoral fracture

Forty-four children, treated conservatively for fracture of the shaft of a femur, were studied radiographically to assess the consequent increase in longitudinal growth of the bone. Overgrowth averaged 8.1 mm and was shown to be significantly greater in boys than in girls. Overgrowth did not appear to be influenced by the age of the patient, the type of injury, the type or site of the fracture, the amount of overlap of the fragments or by the handedness of the patient

Autologous stump capping is a procedure designed to prevent bony overgrowth in skeletally immature amputation stumps. All 19 capping procedures in the lower extremities were successful after an average follow-up of 7.3 years. All patients use their prostheses, and no secondary operations have been needed for stump problems. Of the 31 cap-plasties of the humerus, six required re-operation. The overall failure rate of 12% is low compared with the failure rate of re-amputation

We undertook a comparative study of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vertebral morphometry of thoracic vertebrae of girls with adolescent idiopathic thoracic scoliosis (AIS) and age and gender-matched normal subjects, in order to investigate abnormal differential growth of the anterior and posterior elements of the thoracic vertebrae in patients with scoliosis. Previous studies have suggested that disproportionate growth of the anterior and posterior columns may contribute to the development of AIS. Whole spine MRI was undertaken on 83 girls with AIS between the age of 12 and 14 years, and Cobb’s angles of between 20° and 90°, and 22 age-matched controls. Multiple measurements of each thoracic vertebra were obtained from the best sagittal and axial MRI cuts. Compared with the controls, the scoliotic spines had longer vertebral bodies between T1 and T12 in the anterior column and shorter pedicles with a larger interpedicular distance in the posterior column. The differential growth between the anterior and the posterior elements of each thoracic vertebra in the patients with AIS was significantly different from that in the controls (p < 0.01). There was also a significant positive correlation between the scoliosis severity score and the ratio of differential growth between the anterior and posterior columns for each thoracic vertebra (p < 0.01). Compared with age-matched controls, the longitudinal growth of the vertebral bodies in patients with AIS is disproportionate and faster and mainly occurs by endochondral ossification. In contrast, the circumferential growth by membranous ossification is slower in both the vertebral bodies and pedicles.

Genu varum in the achondroplastic patient has a complex and multifactorial aetiology. There is little mention in the literature of the role of fibular overgrowth. Using the ratio of fibular to tibial length as a measurement of possible fibular overgrowth, we have related it to the development of genu varum. Full-length standing anteroposterior radiographs of 53 patients with achondroplasia were analysed. There were 30 skeletally-immature and 23 skeletally-mature patients. Regression analysis was performed in order to determine if there was a causal relationship between fibular overgrowth and the various indices of alignment of the lower limb. Analysis showed that the fibular to tibial length ratio had a significant correlation with the medial proximal tibial angle and the mechanical axial deviation in the skeletally-immature group. We conclude that there is a significant relationship between fibular overgrowth and the development of genu varum in the skeletally-immature achondroplastic patient

Aims. To assess the long-term effect of distal trochanteric transfer (DTT) on the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes’ disease (LCPD) following a varus derotational osteotomy (VDRO). Patients and Methods. For this single centre cross-sectional retrospective study we analysed the data of 22 patients (24 hips) with LCPD who had greater trochanteric overgrowth (GTO), following a VDRO performed in our institution between 1959 and 1983. GTO was defined as an articular trochanteric distance (ATD) of < 5 mm. We compared the radiographic and clinical outcomes of patients who underwent DTT for GTO (ten patients, ten hips) with those who did not (12 patients, 14 hips). Age at presentation was 6.9 years (4 to 10) and 8.0 years (3.2 to 12) respectively. Symptoms associated with the hip and general quality of life were assessed using the Harris hip score (HHS) and the Short Form (SF)-36 questionnaires. Results. At long-term follow-up of the DTT group, the ATD was 21.7 mm (standard deviation (. sd. ) 9.8) and the centro-trochanteric distance (CTD) was 13.8 mm (. sd. 8.3). In the control group the ATD was -0.6 mm (. sd. 7.8) and the CTD was 32.5 mm (. sd. 10.2). These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The mean HHS and SF-36 scores were 68.4 (. sd. 25.0) and 62.0 (. sd. 27.7) for the DTT group and 73.2 (. sd. 24.2) and 73.3 (. sd. 21.5) for the control group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the HHS (p = 0.63) or SF-36 score (p = 0.25). There were four patients who had undergone hip arthroplasty in the DTT group (40%) and one patient (7.1%) in the control group (p = 0.07). The mean age at the time of arthroplasty was 45.3 years (42.1 to 56.5) and 43.6 years respectively. Six patients in the DTT group suffered from moderate to severe osteoarthritis (Tönnis grade 2 or 3) compared with eight patients in the control group (60% versus 57.1%, p = 0.61). Conclusion. Although DTT improved the radiographic results in the long-term follow-up of patients with GTO following VDRO, there was no clinical benefit seen in the HHS, SF-36 or incidence of osteoarthritis compared with patients who had not undergone DTT. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:987–92

Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica of the left proximal femur was diagnosed in an eight-month-old girl. At the age of 18 months, radiographs of the hip and MRI showed overgrowth and loss of containment of the femoral head. She underwent resection of the superior portion of the head and neck of the femur at the age of 2.5 years. Six months later further radiographs and an MR scan show that the mass has increased in size and that hip containment has been lost. Further plain radiographs have shown that the left knee, ankle and spine were involved. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica involving both the lower limb and the spine. A review of the literature is presented

In patients with severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy and painful hip dislocation proximal femoral resection arthroplasty can reduce pain, but the risk of heterotopic ossification is significant. We present a surgical technique of autologous capping of the femoral stump in order to reduce this risk, using the resected femoral head as the graft. A retrospective study of 31 patients (43 hips) who had undergone proximal femoral resection arthroplasty with (29 hips) and without autologous capping (14 hips) was undertaken. Heterotopic ossification was less frequent in patients with autologous capping, and a more predictable pattern of bony overgrowth was found. For a selected group of non-ambulatory patients with long-standing painful dislocation of the hip, we recommend femoral resection arthroplasty over more complicated reconstructive operations. The risk of heterotopic ossification, which is a major disadvantage of this operation, is reduced by autologous capping

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), defined by an age at presentation of 11 to 18 years, has a prevalence of 0.47% and accounts for approximately 90% of all cases of idiopathic scoliosis. Despite decades of research, the exact aetiology of AIS remains unknown. It is becoming evident that it is the result of a complex interplay of genetic, internal, and environmental factors. It has been hypothesized that genetic variants act as the initial trigger that allow epigenetic factors to propagate AIS, which could also explain the wide phenotypic variation in the presentation of the disorder. A better understanding of the underlying aetiological mechanisms could help to establish the diagnosis earlier and allow a more accurate prediction of deformity progression. This, in turn, would prompt imaging and therapeutic intervention at the appropriate time, thereby achieving the best clinical outcome for this group of patients.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(8):915–921.

Aims

Fixation techniques used in the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) that allow continued growth of the femoral neck, rather than inducing epiphyseal fusion in situ, have the advantage of allowing remodelling of the deformity. The aims of this study were threefold: to assess whether the Free-Gliding (FG) SCFE screw prevents further slip; to establish whether, in practice, it enables lengthening and gliding; and to determine whether the age of the patient influences the extent of glide.

Aims

To systematically evaluate whether bracing can effectively achieve curve regression in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), and to identify any predictors of curve regression after bracing.

Aims

The Vantage Total Ankle System is a fourth-generation low-profile fixed-bearing implant that has been available since 2016. We aimed to describe our early experience with this implant.

Aims

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether acetabular retroversion (AR) represents a structural anatomical abnormality of the pelvis or is a functional phenomenon of pelvic positioning in the sagittal plane, and to what extent the changes that result from patient-specific functional position affect the extent of AR.

1. Two cases are reported in which there was diffuse fibro-fatty overgrowth or tumour formation involving the adipose tissue of the median nerve. In each the diagnosis was confirmed by operation and histological examination. 2. The first case is an example of the developmental abnormality usually referred to as "macrodystrophia lipomatosa." The second case should be termed fibrolipoma. 3. The literature is reviewed; no case of fibrolipoma has been recorded

Sublaminar wiring provides strong and effective fixation of the scoliotic or unstable spine, but its long-term effects on the spinal canal remain unknown. An animal model was developed to observe these effects on the growth and development of the immature spine over a two-year period. Laminar overgrowth occurred both longitudinally to produce a kyphoscoliosis and in the transverse plane to cause significant laminar thickening and growth into the spinal canal. However, the cross-sectional area of the spinal canal was not significantly compromised

A prospective study was made of 119 children with transient synovitis or any other cause for synovial effusion and elevated intra-articular pressure. During a follow-up of one year not one case of Perthes' disease was diagnosed and the late clinical and radiographic changes were minimal with moderate overgrowth of the femoral head in 33% and widening of the joint space in 14.2%. Our results do not support the widely accepted concept that Perthes' disease develops as a result of the period of elevated intra-articular pressure found in transient synovitis. Further research into this and Perthes' disease should follow the premise that they are two different diseases without any aetiological connection

1. A collected series of forty-seven traumatic dislocations of the hip in children is reported and reviewed in detail. 2. All were simple hip dislocations, and no child was included in whom there was any other injury to the affected joint. 3. All were posterior dislocations. 4. No anatomical predisposition was observed. 5. Significant complications occurred in fourteen children: avascular necrosis of the head of the femur in four, degenerative joint changes in three, premature epiphysial fusion in one and overgrowth of the femoral head in six. Study of the children with these complications revealed no common cause except the dislocation itself. 6. The injury responsible was often trivial. 7. The results suggest that it is harmless to bear weight four weeks after reduction

Aims

Limb-lengthening nails have largely replaced external fixation in limb-lengthening and reconstructive surgery. However, the adverse events and high prevalence of radiological changes recently noted with the STRYDE lengthening nail have raised concerns about the use of internal lengthening nails. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of radiological bone abnormalities between STRYDE, PRECICE, and FITBONE nails prior to nail removal.

It has recently been postulated that thrombophilia may have a role in the aetiology of Perthes’ disease. The published reports, however, remain conflicting. In this study a retrospective analysis of the coagulation parameters was made in 47 patients with Perthes’ disease and the results compared with the clinical data. Five patients with Factor V Leiden mutation were found (10.6%) and surprisingly four of them had a homozygous pattern. These four patients showed the most severe form of the disease, Catterall group IV, with flattening of the entire epiphysis, involvement of the metaphysis, shortening and broadening of the femoral neck, trochanteric overgrowth and developed mushroom-shaped aspherical laterally displaced femoral heads in dysplastic acetabula. We would like to suggest that the homozygous form of Factor V Leiden mutation has some role in the clinical course of Perthes’ disease and particularly its most severe form