Genu recurvatum: a complication of prolonged femoral skeletal traction

Genu recurvatum is a rare complication of prolonged skeletal traction. The literature reports very few cases, the majority secondary to wire traction applied to the tibia in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures. A case of genu recurvatum in a 12-year-old girl as a complication of prolonged femoral skeletal traction was treated at the Kobe University Hospital. A proximal open wedge tibial osteotomy using iliac bone grafts was the surgical treatment initiated at the time of diagnosis. Follow-up after 1 year showed recurrence of the genu recurvatum. Early surgical intervention, prolonged casting and application of knee orthosis were all contributory factors in the recurrence of genu recurvatum in our patient. It should be emphasized that extreme care should be taken in treating femoral shaft fractures in children, especially those requiring wire traction in the tibia or femur, in order to prevent genu recurvatum.