[Linear scleroderma. Report of 2 cases with a review of the disease entity]

We report on two patients with linear scleroderma (a form of localised scleroderma) and their orthopaedic problems such as shortening of the limbs and contractions of the joints. The disease is very rare but easy to diagnose by its typical lesions of the skin (band like lesions with ivory like induration and hyper- or hypopigmentation; a peripheral erythema appears as a lilac ring). In the orthopedic management it is very important to follow the patient carefully during the period of growth for good planning of the conservative (physiotherapy and orthosis) and operative therapy, which in one of our patients consisted in repeated corrections as partial arthrodesis of the foot and osteotomies of the leg.