Supracondylar osteotomy for traumatic cubitus varus is usually considered to be difficult, and to have a significant incidence of complications. Most difficulty is in maintaining correction after operation. We report 20 osteotomies performed by a modification of French's technique and managed postoperatively with the elbow extended. When a plaster splint was used only three of seven cases had good or satisfactory results, two requiring revision. Postoperative management by straight arm traction maintained correction and achieved a good or satisfactory result in all 13 cases. This new technique is recommended.

Ninety-eight children with severely displaced supracondylar fractures of the humerus were treated by straight lateral traction. After a mean follow-up period of 3.5 years there were 90 satisfactory and only eight unsatisfactory results. Cubitus varus was present in only four children, which compares favourably with the results of operative treatment. The indications for straight lateral traction, and the advantages of this method, are discussed.

Serious neck injury in rugby football is becoming more common, especially in schoolboys. We report five who presented with spinal cord damage between 1977 and 1983, two in the 1982-83 season. The mechanisms of injury, the treatment, and the outcome are discussed. We suggest measures to reduce the incidence of this most serious injury and draw attention to the appropriate management in the critical phase directly after injury.

A number of problems in the treatment of acute osteomyelitis have remained unresolved in recent years. The clinical experience of ninety-three patients with proven acute haematogenous osteomyelitis is presented to help resolve these problems. Analysis of the clinical features, the operative, bacteriological and haematological findings is made and discussed in detail. Eighteen patients had continuing bone infection and recommendations are made as to how diagnosis and management might have been improved. Surgery is considered to be an essential part of the diagnostic and therapeutic management of this disease. A combination of cloxacillin and fusidic acid is recommended at the antibiotic treatment.

1. A controlled trial of ninety-nine patients with myelomeningocele has shown that immediate closure did not result in any significant (at P<0.05) reduction in mortality or alteration in muscle power.

2. If required, closure of the back may be delayed for forty-eight hours after birth or longer to allow a detailed clinical assessment of the infant.

3. The muscle power in the lower limbs is a useful guide to prognosis both in relation to mortality and the incidence of hydrocephalus.

4. Mortality is greatest in the first year of life.

5. In the urinary tract the commonest anomaly is neurogenic bladder. Other congenital anomalies were not more common than in children generally.

1. Nine cases of traumatic dislocation of the hip in children have been reviewed.

2. There was one instance of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, which became apparent six months after injury.

3. In one case fracture of the femur on the same side led to four days' delay in recognition and treatment of the dislocation.

4. At the time of review all patients were free from symptoms.

1. Nine out of ten patients who undergo McMurray osteotomy may expect lasting relief of pain. Seventy-five per cent should have a satisfactory functional result. It is rare for a patient to be made worse.

2. Osteoarthritis of the hip and ununited fracture of the femoral neck are good reasons for operation; avascular necrosis after fracture is not.

3. Internal fixation shortens the time in plaster and in hospital, and reduces the incidence of stiffness of the knee.

4. The common observation that the joint space may be increased after osteotomy is due often to the altered position of the femoral head. Occasionally there occurs a true increase in joint space, presumably indicating regeneration of articular cartilage, and an accompanying regression in the changes of osteoarthritis.

1. Ninety-one patients with Charnley stabilisation have been reviewed.

2. The patients' ages ranged from fifteen to seventy-eight, with an average of fifty-seven years.

3. Patients have been followed up for at least one year, the average period being almost three years.

4. Early complications included low grade pyrexia (33 per cent), femoral thrombosis (10 per cent) and pulmonary embolus (5 per cent).

5. Fifty-four per cent of patients had no backache, 36 per cent had slight and 10 per cent had troublesome backache.

6. Sound bony fusion occurred in 72 per cent, unsound union in 19 per cent and stress fracture in 9 per cent.

7. Stress fracture and unsound union occurred most frequently in those over sixty years of age.

8. In eighteen patients under fifty there was one unsound fusion and no stress fracture.