Spontaneous Resolution of Pediatric Varus Ankle Deformity: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Pediatric orthopedics
• Skeletal growth and development

Background:

• Distal tibia fractures are a frequent cause of physeal injuries in children, potentially leading to deformities.
• Varus deformities resulting from premature physeal closure have limited established treatment guidelines.
• Previous literature offers minimal support for managing such complex pediatric ankle deformities.

Observation:

• A 6-year-old female presented with a 14° varus ankle deformity.
• The deformity stemmed from a prior Salter Harris type 3 distal tibia fracture treated surgically.
• The patient exhibited premature physeal closure as a complication.

Findings:

• A navigation-guided physeal bar resection was performed to address the premature closure and varus deformity.
• The procedure utilized preoperative bar mapping and intraoperative 3D navigation for precision.
• Post-operatively, the varus deformity spontaneously resolved without the need for guided growth interventions.

Implications:

• Physeal bar resection, when guided by navigation, can effectively correct complex pediatric ankle deformities.
• This technique offers a potential alternative to guided growth for specific physeal bar complications.
• Optimizing surgical accuracy through advanced navigation is crucial for successful outcomes in physeal bar resections.