For surgical stabilization of thoracolumbar instability either posterior transpedicular fixation or anterior interbody fixation is commonly performed. On some occasions, however, combined ventral and dorsal stabilization is needed, in which case surgery is usually performed in separate stages. To achieve this goal in a single operation, the authors used the crossed-screw fixation technique, with the pedicle screw-rod system, in eight patients. Their thoracolumbar instabilities were caused by trauma(n=6), tumor(n=1), and congenital deformity(n=1). In all patients, signs of myelo- and/or radiculopathy were present, and as this required extensive ventral and dorsal decompression, combined ventral and dorsal stabilizations was considered necessary. Surgery involved the lateral extracavitary approach: for dorsal stabilization, the conventional transpedicular fixation method, with pedicle screws of 5.5-mm diameter, was used. For ventral stabilization, interbody struts were grafted, using rib autograft or in the case of tumor fibula allograft, supplemented with transverse fixation of the vertebral body with pedicle screws of 7.5-mm diameter. The two stabilization systems, ventral and dorsal, were interconnected with cross-linking plates. Follow-up 12 to 26 (average 18) months after surgery revealed no hardware failures, and all patients showed improvement in their neurological functions during this period. Due to congenital deformity, graft dislodgement occurred in one patient. On the basis of these results the authors believe that the crossed-screw fixation technique is a viable option for three-dimensional stabilization of the thoracolumbar spine.
Allografts ; Autografts ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Decompression ; Fibula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiculopathy ; Ribs ; Spine* ; Transplants

The osteochondroma is a cartilage-capped exostosis resulting from an error in the regulation of normal chondrocyte proliferation and maturation that leads to a normal bone growth. Although exostoses are benign lesions, they are often associated with characteristic progressive skeletal deformities and may cause clinical symptoms. Surgery can prevent progression and provide correction for certain deformities. We experienced a rare case of solitary osteochondroma in a 21-year-old male which caused the valgus deformity of the ankle.
Ankle* ; Bone Development ; Chondrocytes ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Exostoses ; Fibula* ; Humans ; Joints* ; Male ; Osteochondroma* ; Young Adult

Distal limb deformities are congenital malformations with phenotypic variability and high genetic heterogeneity. Split hand/foot malformation, also known as ectrodactyly, is a congenital limb malformation characterized by a defect of the central rays of the hands and/or feet. Split hand/foot malformation with long-bone deficiency (SHFLD) is a rare condition related to a 17p13.3 duplication. Recently, genomic duplications encompassing BHLHA9 have been associated with SHFLD. We report a case of SHFLD presenting with campomelia of the right femur, bilateral agenesis of fibulae, bilateral club feet, and oligosyndactyly of the hands and feet, that was associated with a 17p13.3 duplication, as determined prenatally using array comparative genomic hybridization.
Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Femur ; Fibula ; Foot ; Genetic Heterogeneity ; Hand ; Prenatal Diagnosis*

Purpose: Tibial torsion is the external rotation of the distal tibia in comparison with the proximal tibia. Rotational deformity of the tibia as a complication of tibial shaft fracture means the loss of tibial torsion. Therefore, evaluating the torsion or the rotation of the distal tibia is the first step in reducing the rotational deformity of the tibia. There are two methods for evaluating the tibial torsion, a method with CT and a method with C-arm. In both methods, the anatomical landmark for evaluation is most important. The ratio of the tibiofibular overlap and fibula width (Tibiofibular Overlap Ratio) is a landmark commonly used to evaluate the tibial torsion. Materials and Methods: The tibial torsion angle and Tibiofibular Overlap Ratio of both legs in 79 cases (48 males and 31 females; mean age 46.2 years) were measured and compared. These 79 cases received 2-D CT of the knee and ankle of both legs. To evaluate the prediction for neutral rotation of the tibia using the contralateral tibia-fibula image, 20 orthopedic residents and nurses were asked to select the same rotational tibia image among the 31 rotational 3-D CT images from 15o external rotation to 15degrees internal rotation in comparison with the mirror image. Results: There was no significant between the comparisons of the tibia torsion angle and Tibiofibular Overlap Ratio in both legs in the 79 cases. Ten orthopedic residents were able to predict the tibia rotational angle within an external rotation of 3degrees and internal rotation of 3degrees. Ten nurses were able to predict the tibia rotational angle within an external rotation of 5degrees and internal rotation of 5degrees. Conclusion: The Tibiofibular Overlap Ratio may be the simple and useful method for predicting the neutral rotation of the tibia.
Ankle ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Fibula ; Humans ; Knee ; Leg ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Tibia*

Nine typical cases of ossifying fibroma in the tibia or fibula were retrospectively reviewed for clinical and histopathological aspects of this disease. Along with the case analysis, light and polarized microscopic examinations were performed in each case. Differential points with monostotic fibrous dysplasia were as follows; 1) ossifying fibroma begins in the significantly younger age, which is in most cases below 10 years of age, 2) it is confined to diaphysis of tibia or fibula, 3) radiologically, multilocular osteolytic destructive change in eccentric pattern is usually combined with anterior or anterolateral bowing deformity, 4) microscopically, characteristic findings are presence of osteoblastic rimming, peripheral maturation, and zonal phenomenon. In the treatment of ossifying fibroma, definitive surgical treatment should be delayed until skeletal maturity, when segmental resection in wide margin including periosteum might be preferred.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Diagnosis ; Diaphyses ; Fibroma, Ossifying ; Fibrous Dysplasia, Monostotic ; Fibula ; Fluconazole ; Osteoblasts ; Periosteum ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia

Free vascularized fibula is often used in orthopaedic reconstructive surgery because the fibula is a straight cortical bone, long enough, and has a long vascular pedicle. But morbidity is occurred at the donor site which may cause problems at the ankle in children. We reviewed 10 causes who had free vascularized fibula transfer at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine from January 1984 to June 1989. This study is attempted to evaluat the effects of fibular defect on the ankle in children and the results of treatment. Free vascularized fibula transfer was done in 5 cases due to ossifying fibroma, 3 cases due to nonunion of fracture and 2 cases due to congenital pseudoarthrosis. The average valgus deformity was 3 degrees in 2 cases in which distal tibiofibular fixation was done with one screw and 6 degrees in 8 cases in in which distal tibiofibular fixation was not done. Three cases had severe valgus deformity and secondary operation was done. The attended type of operation was distal tibiofibular fusion in 3 cases. The valgus deformity was changed after distal tibiofibular fusion from 4 degrees to 3 degrees in 3 cases. The size of fibular defect did not effect on the degree of valgus deformity of the ankle. In conclusion, fibular defect can cause valgus deformity of the ankle in children and early distal tibiofibular fusion is recommended to prevent valgus deformity of the ankle in growing child who as defect on fibular.
Ankle ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fibroma, Ossifying ; Fibula ; Humans ; Pseudarthrosis ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: Preshaped Locking compression plate(LCP) has holes with fixed angle between screw and plate and have advantage firm fixation because it has stability of angular and axial deformity. We evaluated usefulness of LCP after open reduction and internal fixation in distal fibular fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 2011 and May 2012, 23 patients with fracture of distal fibula were followed up at least 12 months underwent open reduction and internal fixation with LCP. There were 15 males and 8 females with a mean age 39.8(20~69) years. According to Danis-Weber classification, there were 20 cases of type B and 3 cases of type C. There were 13 cases of isolated lateral malleolus fractures, 1 case of bimalleolar fracture, 6 cases of trimalleolar fractures and 3 cases of distal tibia fractures with proximal fibula fracture. Intraoperatively, we assessed whether preshaped LCP fit lateral margin of distal fibula or not and evaluated quality of reduction and postoperative complications. The cases were analyzed by radiological bone union time and clinical results according to the criteria of Meyer. RESULTS: Of all cases, complete bone union was achieved and average radiological bone union time was 7.3(6~12) weeks. The clinical results were excellent in 18 cases(78%), good in 5 cases(22%). There were 5 cases of plate with 3 holes, 13 cases of plate with 4 holes, 2 cases of plate with 5 holes, 1 case of plate with 6 holes and 2 cases of plate with 7 holes. The average number of screws at proximal fragement was 2.5 and at distal fragment was 3.5. In 14 cases (60.8%), we needed re-bending of plate because the distance between plate and lateral cortical margin of distal fibula was more than 5 mm at anteroposterior X-ray after reduction. All cases have anatomical reduction and there were no complications of wound infections. There were no complaint about hardware irritation. CONCLUSION: At fractures of distal fibula,preshaped LCP had a excellent stability although far cortex was not fixed with screw and bending of plate. And there are less complications of hardware irritation and wound problems. But, Some complement would be needed because there were no complete fitting between precontour of LCP and lateral cortical margin of distal fibula.
Ankle Joint ; Complement System Proteins ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Fibula ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; Male ; Nitro Compounds ; Postoperative Complications ; Tibia ; Wound Infection

This study is concerned with a comparison of lower tibial and fibular epiphyseal growth and deformities of the ankles in normal and paralysed children. The data were based on 87 children with residual paralysis due to poliomyelitis an 20 non-paralysed children who were admitted to Severance Hospital and Sam Yook Children's Rehabilitation Center. The difference in level between the lower tibial and fibular ends and between the lower epiphysial lines of the tibia and fibula in X-rays of the ankles were measured in order to investigate the growth pattern of the lower tibio-fibular epiphysis. The difference between the level of the lower ends of the fibula was an avergage of 15.3mm in the normal and 6.2mm in paraysed children. Thus the fibular ends in paralysed limbs was an average of 9.1mm less than that of the normal. The difference between the level of the lower epiphyseal lines of the tibia and the fibula was an average of 13.7mm in normal and 5.5mm in paralysed children. Therefore, the level of the fibular epiphyseal lines in paralysed limbs was sn average of 8.2mm less than that of normal. In paralysed limbs, the lower tibial epiphyses showed lateral epical wedge shaped deformities. The tilting angle of the ankles and the wedging angle of the of the lower tibial epiphyses were measured in erder to investigate the degree of deformities of the ankles and the lower tibial epiphyses in paralysed limbs. The tilting angle of the ankles averaged 1.3° in normal and 7.6° in paralysed limbs. The wedging angle of the lower tibial epiphyses averaged 3.7° in normal and 11.5° in paralysed limbs. In paralysed children, muscle strength examination was performed to clarify the relationship between the degree of growth disturbance and the severity of the muscular paraysis. This lead us to conclude that: 1. In paralysed children, the growth disturbance of the lower fibular epiphyses was greater than that of the lower tibial epiphyses. 2. The difference of the growth disturbance between the tibial and fibular epiphyses was not due to muscle imbalance of the foot invertors and evertors but to muscle weakness. 3. In paraysed children, the shape of the lower tibial epiphyses changed to a wedge shape, a deformity which might be considered secondary to growth disturbance of the fibula. 4. In paralysed children, the lower tibial ends were tilted upward and laterally. This was thought to be the cause of valgus deformities of the ankles. 5. The relationship between the degree of muscle paralysis and the deformities of the ankles was not proved in this study.
Ankle ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Epiphyses ; Extremities ; Fibula ; Foot ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Muscle Weakness ; Paralysis ; Poliomyelitis ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Tibia

Ossifying fibroma is a benign tumor which arises typically within the jaw bone and rarely affect the long bone. The usual affected site in the long bone is tibia and fibula. Ossifying fibroma has a moderate tendency to progress during childhood and ceases to progress after puberty. So, surgery should be delayed as long as possible. But if the lesion is wide, which may cause pathologic fracture or severe deformity, it would be necessary to resect the lesion and restore the alignment. We have experienced 10 cases of ossifying fibroma which were treated at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, from Jan. 1984 to Nov. 1992. Results were.as follows: l. Among 10 cases, female was 5 cases and male was 5 cases. Age at operation was 9 years 1 month in average ranging from 1 year 7 months to 18 years 6 months. 2. The lesion site was 9 cases in the tibia, 1 case in the fibula. 3. Attended type of treatment was 3 cases of bone biopsy and observation, 1 case of curettage and bone graft, 1 case of curettage, external fixation with Ilizarov apparatus and internal transportation, 1 case of resection with curettage and free vascularized fibular graft, and 4 cases of wide resection and free vascularized fibula graft. 4. Second operation was needed in 2 cases due to recurrence which were performed incomplete wide resection. In conclusion, continuous observation is needed until puberty when the lesion ceases to progress in ossifying fibroma but radical surgery like wide resection and free vascularized fibula transfer is needed if there is a risk of pathologic fracture or severe bowing deformity due to its large size.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Curettage ; Female ; Fibroma, Ossifying ; Fibula ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Jaw ; Male ; Puberty ; Recurrence ; Tibia ; Transplants ; Transportation

Ankle fractures in children often involve the physis. They are of particular importance because partial or entire growth arrest can occur and result in significant complications. We followed thirty-four ankle fracture involving distal physis of tibia and fibula for more than 1 year and analyzed them using the modified Salter-Harris classification, the Dias-Tachdjian classification and the type of fracture (closed or open), Complications occurred in eight cases (23.5%) – two of twenty-six closed fractures (7.7%) and six of eight open fractures (75%). The complications were more significant in open fractures. Angular deformity (5 cases), limb-length discrepancy (4 cases), incongruity of the joint surface (2 cases), fibular overgrowth (2 cases) and synostosis (1 case) occurred alond or combined. In three cases of them we performed surgical management (bone bridge resection or/and supramalleolar corrective osteotomy) and had satisfactory results. This study suggests that the incidence of complications is difficult to anticipate, but is correlated with severity of initial injuries of growth plate and soft tissue, and is much higher in open fracture. After physeal injury, children should be followed until skeletal maturity and the severe deformities can be prevented by early detection and correction of growth plate disturbance.
Ankle Fractures ; Ankle ; Child ; Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fibula ; Fractures, Closed ; Fractures, Open ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Synostosis ; Tibia