[Macrodactyly]. / Macrodactylie.

There are two types of congenital enlargement of the finger. In one type, the finger is enlarged as part of a syndrome or because of a tumor or a malformation. In the other, the finger is enlarged as an isolated anomaly called "true macrodactyly", with an abundance of fat mainly on the palmar side of the finger. This condition is a rare congenital malformation and the etiology is unknow. The enlarged portion of the finger or the hand can be in a distribution of a major peripheral nerve, most often the median nerve. This condition is called nerve territory-oriented macrodactyly. Macrodactyly can be static, present at birth and does not increase disproportionately with growth, or progressive with a disproportionate growth of the digit. Treatments are difficult and challenging. The goals of operative treatments are: to control the growth in children, mainly with epiphysiodesis; to reduce the size of the finger with resection of skin and subcutaneous tissue with occasionally recession osteotomy, angulation osteotomy and arthrodesis; amputation in severe progressive macrodactyly. Parents should be informed of the potentiel number of operations necessary and of the limitation of function.

[How to determine the upper level of instrumentation in thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a prospective study of 103 patients]. / Planification du niveau supérieur d'arthrodèse dans les scolioses idiopathiques thoraciques de l'adolescent: étude prospective de 103 cas.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Determining the level of fusion remains a highly debated topic in adolescent isiopathic scoliosis. The King and Lenke classifications are used, but have their limitations, particularly the weak interobserver reproducibility. We describe the method we use which is independent of the anatomic classification, based on the predictable reduction of the different curvatures. The goal is to achieve good balance of T1 and the shoulders and reestablish spinal balance in the frontal and sagittal planes. The purpose of this work was to assess the midterm results of this strategy for determining the upper level of instrumentation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The series included 103 adolescents who underwent surgery for idiopathic thoracic scoliosis using a posterior segmental instrumentation. The upper level of fusion was determined by analyzing the rigidity of the proximal curvature and the inclination of T1 and the shoulder. X-rays (preop, postop, last follow-up) were digitalized for computer processing. Comparisons were made with the t test for paired series. RESULTS: Mean age at surgery was 15.2+/-1.7 years (range 10.8-19.3). Mean follow-up was 30.2 months. The clavicular angle and T1 inclination were improved significantly, both for the unique thoracic curvatures and for double thoracic curvatures. No correlation could be found between T1 inclination and shoulder balance. At last follow-up, 86.5% of the patients satisfied all balance criteria. DISCUSSION: The results of our method, which was carried out fully in 97% of patients, are encouraging and show that systematic instrumentation of the entire proximal curvature is not warranted for double thoracic curvatures. The long-term consequences for the residual T1 inclination remain to be assessed.

Dynamic balance assessment during gait in spinal pathologies - a literature review.

UNLABELLED: The role of the spine as a gait stabilizer is essential. Dynamic assessment, while walking, might provide complementary data to improve spinal deformity management. The aim of this paper was to review spine dynamic behavior and the various methods that have been used to assess gait dynamic balance in order to explore the consequences of spinal deformities while walking. A review was performed by obtaining publications from five electronic databases. All papers reporting pathological or non-pathological spine dynamic behavior during gait and dynamic balance assessment methods were included. Sixty articles were selected. Results varied widely according to pathologies, study conditions, and balance assessment techniques. Three methods assessing dynamic stability during gait were identified: local-orbital dynamic stability, tri-axial accelerometry, and dynamic stability margin. Data from conventional gait analysis techniques were established essentially for scoliosis and low back pain, but they do not assess specific consequences on gait dynamic balance. Three techniques investigate gait dynamic balance and have been validated in normal subjects. Further investigations need to be performed for validation in spinal pathologies as well as the value for clinical practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Final evaluation of clubfoot.

After analyzing the multiple evaluations described in the literature, we propose an evaluation that can be used during growth. The global score is based on 50 points. The normal foot is scored 0. The functional evaluation (passive motion, muscle function, and gait analysis) is based on 28 points. The morphology is based on 12 points. The radiographic analysis is scored on 10 points. The final evaluation score is linked to the initial classification at birth. The gain during the treatment is the difference between the score at birth and the score of the final evaluation. It is noted as a percentage.

Classification of clubfoot.

Clubfeet must be classified according to severity to obtain reference points, assess the efficacy of orthopaedic treatment, and analyze the operative results objectively. A scale of 0-20 was established on the basis of four essential parameters: equinus in the sagittal plane, varus deviation in the frontal plane and derotation around the talus of the calcaneo-forefoot (CFF) block and adduction of forefoot on hindfoot in the horizontal plane. Four grades of clubfeet can be individualized: (a) Benign feet so-called "soft-soft feet," grade I, similar to postural feet, with a score of 5 to 1 (these mild feet must be excluded from any statistics as they tend to increase good results); (b) moderate feet, so-called "soft > stiff feet," grade II (reducible but partly resistant, with a score of 5-10); (c) severe feet, so-called "stiff > soft feet," grade III (resistant but partly reducible, with a score of 10-15); and (d) very severe, pseudoarthrogryposic feet, so-called "stiff-stiff feet," grade IV (score of 15-20 points). To avoid risks of errors, our method is based on a very complete checklist and on diagrams. Our training material inculdes an audiovisual package.

The unstable patella in children.

The authors reviewed 102 unstable patellas which had been observed and treated from 1964 to 1990. They were divided according to whether they suffered from traumatic dislocations, recurrent dislocations or malformative instability. The clinical findings were the major stage of the check up. In the field of imaging, standard X-rays had to be performed in all cases. MRI was of interest in the congenital dislocations, in order to thoroughly investigate the soft tissue anomalies. Two types were described: Type 1 was observed in children with joint laxity, but without major X-ray anomalies; Type 2, a major femoropatellar dysplasia could be formed with some bone deformity. The latter was observed in the malformative instability. Four different surgical procedures have been used, from the release of the retinacula of patella to the medial displacement of the patellar tendon or the tibial tuberosity. This study emphasises the concept of a true development dysplasia of patella (DDP) which can gather the different varieties of the instability of patella.

Efficacy and late complications of percutaneous epiphysiodesis with transphyseal screws.

Percutaneous epiphysiodesis using transphyseal screws (PETS) has been developed for the treatment of lower limb discrepancies with the aim of replacing traditional open procedures. The goal of this study was to evaluate its efficacy and safety at skeletal maturity. A total of 45 consecutive patients with a mean skeletal age of 12.7 years (8.5 to 15) were included and followed until maturity. The mean efficacy of the femoral epiphysiodesis was 35% (14% to 87%) at six months and 66% (21% to 100%) at maturity. The mean efficacy of the tibial epiphysiodesis was 46% (18% to 73%) at six months and 66% (25% to 100%) at maturity. In both groups of patients the under-correction was significantly reduced between six months post-operatively and skeletal maturity. The overall rate of revision was 18% (eight patients), and seven of these revisions (87.5%) involved the tibia. This series showed that use of the PETS technique in the femur was safe, but that its use in the tibia was associated with a significant rate of complications, including a valgus deformity in nine patients (20%), leading us to abandon it in the tibia. The arrest of growth was delayed and the final loss of growth at maturity was only 66% of that predicted pre-operatively. This should be taken into account in the pre-operative planning.

Fixator-assisted medial tibial plateau elevation to treat severe Blount's disease: outcomes at maturity.

INTRODUCTION: Severe forms of Blount's disease may be associated with medial tibial plateau (MTP) depression. Management should then take account of joint congruence, laxity, limb axis, torsional abnomality, leg length discrepancy (LLD) and eventual recurrence history. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight knees (six patients) were managed in a single step comprising MTP elevation osteotomy, lateral epiphysiodesis and proximal tibia osteotomy to correct varus and rotational deformity. Fixation was achieved using an Ilizarov external fixator. Mean age was 10.5 years. Mean hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle was 151°; distal femoral varus, 94°; metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle (MDA), 27°; and angle of depression of the medial tibial plateau (ADMTP), 42°. Predicted residual proximal tibial growth was 2.6 cm. RESULTS: At a mean 48 months' follow-up, results were good in six cases, medium in one and poor (due to incomplete lateral epiphysiodesis) in one. Mean lateral tibial torsion was 9° and final LLD 11 mm. Weight-bearing was resumed at 2 months, and the fixator was removed at 5.5 months postoperatively. At end of follow-up, mean HKA angle was 179.6°, MDA 7.3° and ADMTP 5.4°. DISCUSSION: This technically demanding procedure gave satisfactory results in terms of axes and congruence; longer term assessment remains needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV. Retrospective study.

[Patellar instability in children]. / Instabilités rotuliennes de l'enfant.

Current work on disease states involving the patella has led to increased interest in patellar instability. We reviewed a series of patellar luxations. True trauma-induced luxations are rare. Most cases are recurrent luxations in subjects with a morphological anomaly of the knee extensor system. Because of the growth cartilages, selective therapeutic techniques are needed to stabilize the patella. Recurrent or permanent luxations of the patella result from congenital malformations of the muscles or skeleton. A complete MRI study is highly indicated. The patella can be correctly realigned by surgical release. In cases with femoropatellar dysplasia, which is not specific for children, well conducted rehabilitation therapy often leads to favourable outcome.