Coxa vara in childhood: evaluation and management

Coxa vara in childhood may be clinically classified as developmental, congenital, dysplastic, or traumatic and may occur at the physis or in the trochanteric or subtrochanteric area. Evaluation should include a search for a family history of similar deformity, a history of trauma or infection, and evidence of associated skeletal abnormality. Radiographs will illustrate whether the deformity is unilateral or bilateral and whether it occurs at or below the physis. With this information, coxa vara can be classified, and the optimal treatment can be selected. Surgical treatment of coxa vara in childhood is usually indicated when the disease is progressive, painful, unilateral, or associated with leg-length discrepancy.