The Role of Taylor Spatial Frame in the Treatment of Blount Disease

Recurrence and Complication Rates of Surgical Treatment for Blount's Disease in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Blount's disease is a growth disorder of the proximal tibia that causes progressive genu varum in children. Surgical treatment is recommended if the deformity worsens, but which intervention is best remains controversial. This study aims to identify factors influencing outcomes and determine the most effective surgical approach.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted of studies published before January 2022.

RESULTS

In total, 63 retrospective studies with CEBM IIIb/IV levels were included (1672 knees in 1234 patients). The most commonly reported treatment was acute correction via osteotomy (47%), followed by hemiepiphysiodesis (22%) and gradual correction (18%). Combined procedures were reported in 13% of cases. The overall recurrence rate was 18%, with a significant difference when comparing the recurrence rates after gradual correction with those after hemiepiphysiodesis (7% and 29%, respectively). Major complications beyond recurrence were observed in 5% of cases. A meta-analysis of the available raw data showed a significantly increased recurrence rate (39%) among treated children who were between 4.5 and 11.25 years of age and were followed for a minimum follow-up of 2.5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, poor evidence with which to establish an optimal treatment for Blount's disease was found. This study remarked on the need for early diagnosis, classification, and treatment of infantile tibia vara, since a significant rate of recurrence was found in neglected cases.

Marker- three dimensional measurement versus traditional radiographic measurement in the treatment of tibial fracture using Taylor spatial frame

Background

The Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) has been widely used for tibial fracture. However, traditional radiographic measurement method is complicated and the reduction accuracy is affected by various factors. The purpose of this study was to propose a new marker- three dimensional (3D) measurement method and determine the differences of reduction outcomes, if any, between marker-3D measurement method and traditional radiographic measurement in the TSF treatment.

Methods

Forty-one patients with tibial fracture treated by TSF in our institution were retrospectively analyzed from January 2016 to June 2019, including 21 patients in the marker-3D measurement group (experimental group) and 20 patients in the traditional radiographic measurement group (control group). In the experimental group, 3D reconstruction with 6 markers installed on the TSF was performed to determine the electronic prescription. In the control group, the anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs were performed for the traditional parameter measurements. The effectiveness was evaluated by the residual displacement deformity (RDD) and residual angle deformity (RAD) in the coronal and sagittal plane, according to the AP and lateral X-rays after reduction.

Results

All patients achieved functional reduction. The residual RDD in AP view was 0.5 (0, 1.72) mm in experimental group and 1.74 (0.43, 3.67) mm in control group. The residual RAD in AP view was 0 (0, 1.25) ° in experimental group and 1.25 (0.62, 1.95) °in control group. As for the lateral view, the RDD was 0 (0, 1.22) mm in experimental group and 2.02 (0, 3.74) mm in control group, the RAD was 0 (0, 0) ° in experimental group and 1.42 (0, 1.93) ° in control group. Significant differences in all above comparisons were observed between the two groups (AP view RDD: P = 0.024, RAD: P = 0.020; Lateral view RDD: P = 0.016, RAD: P = 0.004).

Conclusions

The present study introduced a marker-3D measurement method to complement the current TSF treatment. This method avoids the manual measurement error and improves the accuracy of fracture reduction, providing potential advantages of bone healing and function rehabilitation.

Simultaneous multisegmental and multifocal corrections of complex lower limb deformities with a hexapod external fixator

INTRODUCTION

External fixators are a part of the therapeutic arsenal used in the correction of complex pediatric lower limb deformities. These long iterative procedures, which are commonly performed over several months, strongly impact the lives of these children and their families. To reduce these drawbacks, we perform, whenever possible, a simultaneous multisegmental and/or multifocal correction of these deformities.

HYPOTHESIS

Simultaneous multilevel correction of complex pediatric deformities using external fixators does not result in more complications than sequential corrections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixteen patients were treated with this hexapod external fixator correction procedure. The mean age was 13.9 years. The corrections involved 12 femurs and 20 tibias, representing 53 osteotomies on 23 limbs. The quality of the correction was assessed by measuring the mechanical axis deviation (MAD), residual limb length discrepancy (RLLD) and a new, specifically defined, criterion called the "angular healing index" (AHI). Complications were assessed according to Lascombes' classification.

RESULTS

The mean MAD went from 30 to 13.5 mm (P<.05) and the mean RLLD from 33.2 to 6.9 mm (P<.05). The mean AHI was 74.1 days/cm (16.7 to 319). The overall complication rate was 13/23 operated limbs or 56.5% (4.3% grade 1, 43.3% grade 2, 9.3% grade 3, and no grade 4).

DISCUSSION

One-stage multilevel corrections of complex pediatric lower limb deformities represent a difficult technical challenge, and any reduction in treatment time must not adversely impact the quality of the results. The rate and severity of complications compared to monofocal/segmental procedures were no higher than that reported in the literature. This study demonstrated the feasibility of multisegmental and multifocal corrections, which reduced the total treatment duration compared to successive corrections, without adversely affecting the result or increasing the complication rate.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; retrospective study.

One-stage Surgical Treatment of Simultaneous Osteotomy and Asymmetric Lengthening on Short Femur with Severe Deformity of Genu Valgus

This study aimed to discuss the effects of one stage surgical treatment by simultaneous osteotomy and asymmetric lengthening by Ilizarov external fixator on short femur with severe deformity of genu valgus. A total of 12 cases with unilateral deformities treated by simultaneous osteotomy and Ilizarov asymmetric lengthening on short femur with severe deformity of genu valgus were retrospectively analyzed from January 2006 to April 2015. The affected limbs were 2.5–11 cm (5.2 cm on average) short, the femorotibial angle was 135°–158° (146.3° on average), and the ankle interval was 15–43 cm (24.7 cm on average). The Paley method was used to determine the osteotomy plane (distal femur) of genu valgus. According to this standard, the bone union results were as follows: 11 had excellent and 1 had good, where 7 patients had excellent and 5 had good functional outcomes. One stage surgical treatment by simultaneous osteotomy and asymmetric lengthening on short femur with severe deformity of genu valgus was considered to be an effective and reliable method with better osteotomy union, less trauma and fewer complications.