PURPOSE: To date, there have been no studies evaluating the usefulness of allograft as a substitute for autograft in calcaneal neck lengthening osteotomy. This retrospective study examined the results of calcaneal neck lengthening osteotomy using allograft for pathologic flatfoot deformity in children and adolescents with various neuromuscular diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 118 feet in 79 children treated surgically between Mar 2000 and July 2005 were reviewed. The mean age at the time of the operation was 9+3 years (range, 3-17 years) and follow-up averaged 15.4 months (range, 13-21 months) postoperatively. Talo-1st metatarsal angle, talo-calcaneal angle, calcaneal pitch were measured before and after operation and bony union was estimated. RESULTS: Bony union was noted at the latest follow-up and there were no postoperative complications such as reduction loss, infection, nonunion, delayed union or graft loss during the follow-up period in all but one foot. All radiographic indices were improved postoperatively in all cases. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that use of allograft in calcaneal neck lengthening osteotomy is a useful option for correction of the planovalgus deformity in skeletally immature patients whose enough autobone can not be obtained.
Adolescent ; Bone Diseases/*congenital/radiography/*surgery ; *Bone Lengthening ; *Bone Transplantation ; Calcaneus/*surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Osteotomy ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characters, methods of evaluation before surgery and effects of treatment of congenital abnormality in external and middle ear. METHOD: The data of 21 cases (22 ears) with congenital abnormalities in external and middle ear who received operation in ENT Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University during 5 years from June 2000 to June 2005 were analyzed. RESULT: Malformations of middle ear were presented in all cases. These mainly consisted of small tympanic cavities in 16 ears (72.7%), ossicular chain anomalies in 20 ears (90.9%) and facial nerve abnormalities in 8 ears (36.4%). The hearing improvement was observed in 15 ears (68.2%) after surgery, of which 9 ears had hearing improvement greater than 30 dB. Long term (0.5 to approximately 5 years) follow-up demonstrated that the hearing in 17 ears were kept unchanged after surgery. The postoperative complications were external auditory canal stenosis in 4 ears and lateralization of the tympanic membrane in 2 ears. CONCLUSION Careful evaluation of the hearing and CT of congenital abnormalities of external and middle ear before operation are important. Maintenance of width of the external acoustic meatus and prevention of infection are crucial in the treatment of congenital abnormalities of external and middle ear.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ear Diseases ; congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; Ear, Middle ; abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography ; Temporal Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty ; Young Adult