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Tibial shortening for leg length discrepancy.
N S Broughton1, B W Olney, M B Menelaus
1Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Operative shortening of the tibia and fibula effectively corrects leg length discrepancies in children and adolescents, leading to normal function with minimal cosmetic issues.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric orthopedics
Background:
- Leg length discrepancy (LLD) is a common orthopedic condition in children.
- Surgical correction is often necessary when conservative methods fail or are inappropriate.
- Epiphyseal arrest is a common surgical technique, but timing and indication can be challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of operative tibial and fibular shortening for correcting LLD in pediatric patients.
- To assess functional and cosmetic outcomes, as well as complications associated with the procedure.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of 12 pediatric patients who underwent operative shortening of the tibia and fibula over 25 years.
- Patients aged 4-18 years with LLD ranging from 2.5 to 5.1 cm were included.
- Functional recovery and cosmetic outcomes were assessed, along with any surgical complications.
Main Results:
- All 12 patients achieved normal function after the procedure.
- Minor cosmetic impairment was observed in only two cases.
- The sole vascular complication was a transient delay in foot circulation post-tourniquet removal in one patient.
Conclusions:
- Operative tibial and fibular shortening is a valuable surgical option for managing LLD in pediatric patients.
- This procedure is particularly useful when epiphyseal arrest is not feasible due to late presentation, timing uncertainty, or unclear need for correction.