Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.

Current knowledge of the causes and risk factors of Legg-Calvé-Perthesdisease (LCPD) does not allow effective preventive strategies. The outcome in adulthood is usually good. Hip osteoarthritis rarely develops before 50 years of age. The risk of osteoarthrosis depends chiefly on the final degree of joint incongruence. Age at onset and the lateral pillar classification are the two main outcome predictors and serve to guide the surgical indications based on the studies by Herring's group. Non-operative treatment is not effective. In contrast, femoral varus osteotomy and Salter's innominate osteotomy provide good outcomes. In severe forms, however, combining these two techniques or performing a triple pelvic osteotomy seem preferable. Surgery is now performed considerably less often than in the past, as it is effective only in patients with lateral pillar group B or B/C disease with onset after eight years of age. In other situations, therapeutic abstention is recommended.

Surgical treatment using The Unit Rod in children with neuromuscular scoliosis.

The article represents a retrospective clinical and radiological study. Objective. To assess the safety and the stability in time of the Unit Rod instrumentation in the treatment of severe neuromuscular scoliosis in children and adolescents. Summary. The treatment of patients with neuromuscular scoliosis always represents a challenge. The patients are debilitated and usual interventions are very long with great loss of blood. Serious complications can compromise the result of the surgery. The technique we used (the Unit Rod) is worldwide recognized, is simple, and gives excellent stability with a low rate of complications. Methods. We conducted a clinical and radiological retrospective study with a follow-up of at least 4 years in 58 patients with serious neuromuscular conditions, most of them being non-walkers. They were surgically treated by using mostly the Unit Rod technique, in the department of Paediatric Orthopaedics of the Rouen University Hospital, France, between 2000 and 2008. The back fusion was generally from T2 to pelvis. We used the Galveston technique for the patients who needed a pelvic fixation. Results. The mean Cobb angle correction was of 67% immediately after surgery; the correction of the curve decreased in time only in 4% of the cases. Pelvic obliquity was also very well corrected: 73% immediately and 70% at the last radiological follow-up. The mean operative time was of 175 minutes compared to 269 minutes for screws and hooks instrumentation. The most common complication for our technique was the radiolucent halo that appeared around the pelvic inserts. There was no significant degradation in time of the correction obtained. Conclusions. The use of this technique is safe, gives excellent results, achieving significant improvements in the postoperative functional status of the patients. The intra- and postoperative complications were minor. The advantage of using this method is the low cost of the material and technical simplicity, the corrective results being the same as the ones obtained with other techniques.

Evolution of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: results of a multicenter study at 20 years' follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: To date there is no consensus on therapeutic indications in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) with curvature between 30° and 60° at the end of growth. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess outcome in patients with moderate AIS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted. Inclusion criteria were: Cobb angle, 30-60° at end of growth; and follow-up > 20 years. The data collected were angular values in adolescence and at last follow-up, and quality of life scores at follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 258 patients were enrolled: 100 operated on in adolescence, 116 never operated on, and 42 operated on in adulthood. Mean follow-up was 27.8 years. Cobb angle progression significantly differed between the 3 groups: 3.2° versus 8.8° versus 23.6°, respectively; P < 0.001. In lumbar scoliosis, the risk of progression to ≥ 20° was significantly higher for initial Cobb angle > 35° (OR=4.278, P=0.002). There were no significant differences in quality of life scores. DISCUSSION: Patients operated on in adolescence showed little radiological progression, demonstrating the efficacy of surgical treatment for curvature greater than 50°. Curvature greater than 40° was progressive and may require surgery in adulthood. Lumbar scoliosis showed greater potential progression than thoracic scoliosis in adulthood, requiring fusion as of 35° angulation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective study.

[Fishtail deformity after a non-displaced supracondylar humeral fracture in childhood: A case report]. / Hypoplasie de la joue latérale de la trochlée à distance d'une fracture supracondylienne de l'humérus non déplacée chez l'enfant : à propos d'un cas.

We report the case of a 13-year-old boy presenting with stiffness and pain in the elbow, which had appeared a few years before consultation. He reported a history of a closed, nondisplaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus 7 years before. Progression was good after orthopedic treatment. X-rays and CT showed a distinctive deformation, called a fishtail deformity, associated with severe arthritic injuries. We recall here that supracondylar fractures of the humerus are common in children and that early reduction decreases the complication rate. However, this case shows that fishtail deformity is a late and serious complication, which may occur after a nondisplaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus, with no severity factors and with good early progression.

Surgery for slipped capital femoral epiphysis in adolescents.

The treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) in adolescents remains controversial. The goal of initial treatment is to prevent further slippage of the epiphysis. In mild forms, both stable and unstable, in situ fixation is widely accepted as the reference treatment. In contrast, several techniques are available for stable moderate-to-severe SCFE. In unstable moderate-to-severe SCFE, emergent reduction with decompression and internal fixation is currently the preferred method. Selection of the surgical technique rests on an appraisal of advantages versus drawbacks. The goal of this review is to discuss the various surgical methods available for SCFE in adolescents.

[Lyme arthritis in children: a diagnostic trap]. / Arthrite de Lyme chez l'enfant : un piège diagnostique.

Lyme disease incidence is diverse in France. It is rare in many regions but very frequent in Central and Eastern France. Arthritis is a late manifestation of Lyme disease. In children, the clinical and biological picture often resembles that of septic arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which are more frequent. This explains why diagnosis may be delayed, especially when patient lives in a region of low incidence. We report the case of an 8-year old girl with knee arthritis treated as septic arthritis in a region where Lyme disease is rare. Six days later, clinical and biological worsening suggested that the diagnosis had to be reconsidered. Lyme arthritis was confirmed by serology. Treatment was adapted and the progression was positive. This case reminds us that, in children, Lyme arthritis may look alike septic arthritis or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and must be considered as a possible diagnosis, even in low-incidence areas.

Early diagnosis of thoracolumbar spine fractures in children. A prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Early detection of spine fractures in children is difficult because the clinical examination does not always raise worrisome symptoms and the vertebrae are still cartilaginous, and consequently incompletely visualized on routine X-rays. Therefore, diagnosis is often delayed or missed. HYPOTHESIS: The search for a "breath arrest" sensation at the moment of the trauma improves early detection of thoracolumbar spine fractures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective monocentric study including all children consulting at the paediatric emergency unit of a single university hospital with a thoracolumbar spine trauma between January 2008 and March 2009. All children had the same care. Pain was quantified when they arrived using the visual analog scale. Clinical examination searched for a "breath arrest" sensation at the moment of the trauma and noted the circumstances of the accident. X-rays and MRI were done in all cases. RESULTS: Fifty children were included with a mean age of 11.4 years. Trauma occurred during games or sports in 94% of the cases. They fell on the back in 72% cases. Twenty-three children (46%) had fractures on the MRI, with a mean number of four fractured vertebrae (range, 1-10). Twenty-one of them (91%) had a "breath arrest" sensation. Fractures were not visualized on X-rays in five cases (22%). Twenty-seven children had no fracture; 19 of them (70%) did not feel a "breath arrest". Fractures were suspected on X-rays in 15 cases (56%). DISCUSSION: The search for a "breath arrest" sensation at the moment of injury improves early detection of thoracolumbar spine fractures in children (Se=87%, Sp=67%, PPV=69%, NPV=86%). When no fracture is apparent on X-rays and no "breath arrest" sensation is expressed by the child, the clinician can be sure there is no fracture (Se=26%, Sp=100%, PPV=100%, NPV=53%). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

[Open elbow dislocation with distal ischemia: a therapeutic emergency]. / Luxation ouverte du coude avec ischémie distale : une urgence thérapeutique.

We report the case of a 13-year-old boy with a traumatic elbow dislocation, open stage 2 (Cauchoix and Duparc), with distal ischemia. Exposure of the neurovascular humeral bundle through the wound accentutated the clinical emergency. This clinical observation consisted of elbow dislocation with all severity criteria: (i) opening of the skin, (ii) association with a fracture of the medial humeral epicondyle, and (iii) neurological deficit in the territory of the median nerve. The purpose of this report is to remind physicians that no investigation should delay surgery in elbow dislocation. Despite initial distal ischemia, no vascular exploration is required. Early reduction of the disloction is the key point of care.

Detailed neuropsychological evaluation in a patient with Floating Harbor syndrome.

The Floating Harbor syndrome is a rare genetic disease characterized by a triad of clinical signs: specific dysmorphic facial features, short stature with delayed bone age, and language and speech disorders. These signs are, in most cases, associated with borderline normal intelligence to moderate delay concerning intellectual functioning. We report an extensive neuropsychological evaluation for an adult female patient and show, in particular, a severe visuospatial impairment. We discuss this deficit in the light of the previous reported cases and suggest that visuospatial abilities should be explored more systematically.

[Can iatrogenic air embolism related to intraoperative use of hydrogen peroxide be easily avoided?]. / Embolie gazeuse iatrogène due à l'utilisation peropératoire d'eau oxygénée: un accident facilement évitable?

Air embolism is a rare complication of intraoperative use of hydrogen peroxide. We present the case of a young girl who underwent surgery for septic nonunion of the femur and developed this complication postoperatively. Outcome was fortunately favorable. A review of the surgery and anesthesia literature revealed the pathogenic mechanism of this type of accident together with the appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic practices. We propose here a series of preventive measures based on our experience and data in the literature: inform the anesthetist before using hydrogen peroxide, use a cup instead of a syringe for administrating hydrogen peroxide and avoid use in deep highly vascularized cavities.

Secondary localisation of an intra-thoracic benign mesenchymoma in the fossa poplitea: a rare paediatric case.

Thymomas are tumours that rarely occur in children, are almost invariably benign, and are usually discovered incidentally in the anterior mediastinum on chest X-rays. Whereas in adults these tumours are often associated with myasthenia gravis and other autoimmune diseases, this occurrence is very rare in the paediatric population. Multiple localisation and/or extra-thoracic recurrence of thymomas in children also appears to be exceptional with no reported cases in the English literature. We report one rare paediatric case.

[The script concordance test: a new evaluation method of both clinical reasoning and skills in internal medicine]. / Le test de concordance de script: un nouvel outil d'évaluation du raisonnement et de la compétence clinique en médecine interne ?

OBJECTIVE: The script concordance test is designed to evaluate knowledge organization, which constitutes a crucial parameter of clinical skills. The objective of the present study was to assess the value of a new written evaluation tool to measure clinical skills in Internal Medicine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 95-item examination was completed by a group of medical students (N =17), a group of residents in Family practice (N =9), a group of residents in Internal Medicine (N =5), and a group of experienced physicians in Internal Medicine (N =7). The scores obtained were compared by analysis of variance. The reliability of the test was studied by calculating Cronbach's coefficient alpha. RESULTS: The mean score was 220.3 +/-41.7 for medical students, 230.5 +/-31.7 for residents in Family practice, 274.2 +/-32.2 for residents in Internal Medicine, and 352.1 +/-22.9 for experienced physicians in Internal Medicine. The differences observed between the scores for the various groups were significant (P <0.0001). Moreover, the value of Cronbach's coefficient alpha was 0.81 in the whole examination. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the script concordance test may easily allow to differentiate various levels of clinical skills in Internal Medicine. Moreover, because of Cronbach's coefficient alpha as high as 0.81, our findings suggest the validity of this test in Internal Medicine.

Favourable outcome of a tight constriction band secondary to amniotic band syndrome.

Amniotic band syndrome or amniotic disruption complex is a well-known congenital limb abnormality, which occurs in 1 in 1200 to 1 in 15,000 live births. In cases of an isolated band constriction, it has been speculated that the bands lead to decreased blood flow in the constricted limb and subsequent natural amputation. Fetal surgery could be considered in these situations in order to release the constriction band in threatened limb amputation. We present a case of a tight constriction ring secondary to amniotic band syndrome with a favourable outcome, despite the failure of an attempted surgical procedure.

[Osteoarticular infection in children: evaluation of a diagnostic and management protocol]. / Infections ostéo-articulaires de l'enfant: étude de deux séries consécutives et évaluation d'un protocole de diagnostic et de traitement.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a diagnostic and management protocol for osteoarticular infection in children which was developed at the Rouen University Hospital in 1993. We studied the technical aspects of the protocol allowing improved certain diagnosis and bacteriological documentation as well as the reduction in intravenous treatments and hospital stay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two successive series were compared. The first constituted from May 1984 to February 1992 was a retrospective series of 106 children with osteoarticular infections. The second series was prospective an included 104 children with osteoarticular infection treated after institution of the protocol (January 1995 to December 1998). All children were treated in the same unit. Files were reviewed at a minimum follow-up of 18 months following the end of treatment. We analyzed: clinical, biological, and radiological data at admission; elements of the bacteriological study and their contribution to identification of the causal agent; duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy; total duration of antibiotic therapy, and hospital stay; complications and sequelae. RESULTS: After institution of the protocol, we observed significant progress: certain diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis improved from 67% to 85% after institution of a more comprehensive diagnostic program; bacteriological identification improved from 37.5% to 72.2% for acute osteomyelitis and from 41.6% to 59.5% for septic arthritis, with a growing number of recognized cases of Kingella kingae infections causing acute osteomyelitis (n=2) or septic arthritis (n=4) due to technical progress in sampling and culturing. Mean duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy (15 days versus 9.95 days), mean duration of total antibiotic therapy (47.3 versus 33.8 d) as well as length of hospital stay (17.5 d versus 12.5 d) were significantly improved. The shorter antibiotic therapy did not led to any supplementary morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic bacteriological diagnostic protocol has enabled an improvement in treatment and hospitalization. The protocol has been further updated and simplified in light of these findings and observations of insufficiencies, taking into account recent data in the literature and epidemiological features of osteoarticular infection in children.

[Epidemiological survey of wrist fractures in children]. / Les fractures du poignet de l'enfant: étude épidémiologique.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The incidence of wrist fractures is increasing in children. We undertook an epidemiological survey in western France to determine characteristic features. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective multicentric study was conducted over one year in five university hospital centers in western France. The survey included 839 wrist fractures in children aged 6 to 16 years. The following criteria were recorded: age and gender, date and energy of the trauma, side and description of the fracture. Displacement was measured on the AP and lateral radiographs. RESULTS: The boys were older than the girls at the time of the wrist fractures, generally during the summer season (May to October). The left wrist was involved in 55% of the fractures; 83% were metaphyseal fractures. Fractures with epiphyseal detachment were more frequent in adolescents and occurred after high-energy trauma. Metaphyseal fractures were more common in girls than in boys. Displacement was greater in older children, particularly in case of epiphyseal detachment. DISCUSSION: We did not observe the male predominance often reported in our country. The girls probably practice sports as much as boys.

[Failure of primary management of developmental dislocation of the hip: 31 years experience in Normandy]. / Echecs de la prise en charge initiale de la maladie luxante de la hanche en Haute-Normandie: analyse sur une période de 31 années consécutives (1968-1998).

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Primary management of developmental dislocation of the hip involves a series of events (clinical screening and detection, choice and interpretation of imaging studies, indication and proper execution of treatment). Each event has an important effect on outcome and failure may result from inadequate attention to any one. We analyzed the causes of failure observed over 31 years experience in our region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the files of children hospitalized in the Rouen Infantile Surgery Department from 1968 to 1998 for management of congenital dislocation of the hip diagnosed late (> 3 months) or for revision after inappropriate treatment. We identified 353 files. This series was retrospective from 1968 to 1985 (283 cases) and prospective from 1986 to 1998 (70 cases). RESULTS: Up through 1981, failed detection of developmental dislocation of the hip was identified in 10 to 27 children per year (mean 21.5). Since 1982, this rate has varied from 1 to 10 (mean 6.5). The number of children treated before the age of one year was 10.5 per year up through 1981 then 4.5 per year after 1982. The number of children treated after the age of one year was 11 per year through 1981 then 2 per year after 1982. Since 1986, treatment was undertaken for failure of primary management in 57 children after clinical diagnosis, in 3 children after radiological and ultrasonographic diagnosis, and in 11 children during the course of treatment. Standard x-ray studies systematically obtained at four months corrected the diagnosis in 24 children. The diagnosis was corrected after repeating the examination in 14 children before the age of one year. Correct diagnosis was established after the age of one year in 18 children. DISCUSSION: Although our University Department was the only referral center for pediatric surgery in our region during this period, these figures cannot be compared with the annual birth rate in the region (24,000 births/year) because the number of infants managed in other centers is unknown. Nevertheless, organizing regular follow-up by a pediatric orthopedic surgeon of all infants screened positive in the maternity ward enabled a 70% reduction in the number of failures since 1982. Systematic clinical screening, repeated regularly during the first year of life, has reduced the mean age of diagnosis. Neither ultrasonography nor radiography has replaced physical examination. Care must also be taken to avoid over reliance on ultrasound findings which do not correspond to clinical findings. Amongst the children treated late, 14% had undergone an inappropriate treatment for dislocation correctly identified during the neonatal period. Referring all children screened positive to a pediatric orthopedic surgeon should help reduce this rate.

[Amniotic band syndrome: pathogenesis, prenatal diagnosis and neonatal management]. / Maladie des brides amniotiques: étiopathogénie, diagnostic anténatal et prise en charge néonatale.

Amniotic band syndrome is a collection of fetal congenital malformations, affecting mainly the limbs, but also the craniofacial area and internal organs. Two mains pathogenic mechanisms are proposed: early amnion rupture (exogenous theory) leading to fibrous bands, which entrap the fetal body; the endogenous theory privileges vascular compromise, mesoblastic strings not being a causal agent. The outcome of the disease depends on the gravity of the malformation. Termination of the pregnancy is usually proposed at the time of the diagnostic of severe craniofacial and visceral abnormalities, whereas minor limb defects can be repaired with postnatal surgery. In case of an isolated amniotic band with a constricted limb, in utero lysis of the band can be considered to avoid a natural amputation. However, as the exact etiology of amniotic band syndrome remains unknown and its natural course unpredictable, prenatal surgery continues to be controversial. Doppler studies of the constricted limb could be of useful predictive value of in utero amputation, and therefore could be helpful to determine when in utero treatment should be considered.

Posterior arch bifocal fracture of the atlas vertebra: a variant of Jefferson fracture.

Fracture of the atlas vertebra is rare in children. We report two paediatric cases of bifocal pedicular fracture of the posterior arch of C1. Evaluation was performed by nonenhanced computed tomography scan, which successively confirmed both diagnosis and healing. In both cases, nonoperative management was successful.