[Gastric fibroid polyp in a 4-month-old girl with Costello syndrome]. / Polipo fibroide gastrico in sindrome di Costello.

We describe the case of a 4-month-old girl with a gastric fibroid polyp. This was an occasional radiographic finding, confirmed by sonography and computerized tomography. This very rare benign tumor was surgically removed. The diagnosis of Costello syndrome was based on clinical appearance. This is the first report of a gastric fibroid polyp in Costello syndrome, a genetic disease with a high tumor frequency.

[Tuberculosis of the spine in children. Personal experience]. / Tubercolosi della colonna vertebrale in età pediatrica. Nostra esperienza.

We are currently witnessing a worldwide return of tuberculosis. An extremely rare form is tuberculosis of the spine which is reported above all in extra-European studies. The authors report a case of Pott's disease in a child aged 3 years and 3 months who was referred to their attention due to the appearance of left inguinal swelling, fever and anemia. Diagnostic tests (ETG, CT, MR) showed an abscess involving the L5-S1 intersomatic space, the intervertebral disc and osteolytic lesions of S1, with impairment of the left psoas muscle and diffusion as far as the inguinal region. Chemotherapy was commenced using isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampicin, and streptomycin and lasted 24 months associated with drainage of the ileopsoas abscess. Conservative orthopedic treatment lasting for one year initially took the form of decubitus in bed with hyperdistension of the vertebral column, followed by the creation of a plaster-cast cot on the back and lastly a glass-reinforced resin orthopedic jacket. The follow-up of 2 years and 10 months showed recovery with reconstruction of the vertebral elements and the preservation of intervertebral space.

[Slipped capital femoral epiphysis and biosynthetic growth hormone therapy. A case report]. / Epifisiolisi della testa femorale in corso di terapia con ormone biosintetico della crescita. Descrizione di un caso clinico.

The case of an adolescent male with short stature and partial growth hormone deficiency who developed a slipped capital femoral epiphysis during the treatment with recombinant growth hormone is reported in this paper. Our patient started GH therapy with recombinant growth hormone at the dose of 15 U/m2/week administered subcutaneously three times a week. After 6 months of GH therapy there was a satisfactory response to the therapy and his growth velocity improved significantly. Unfortunately the patient had pain of the left hip which was exacerbated by walking. The diagnosis of slipped capital femoral epiphysis was confirmed radiographically and treated surgically with internal fixation of the epiphysis with the use of Moore's pins. Treatment with GH was discontinued. After one year there was the complete resolution of the disease and the adolescent was able to return at his usual way of life. Slipped capital femoral epiphysis is a disease in which the anatomic relationship between the femoral head and neck changes by disruption of the epiphyseal plate. This condition can occur only before the epiphyseal plate closes. Patients vary in age from newborn infant to teenager, nevertheless slipped capital femoral epiphysis is probably the most common hip disease during adolescence, and is often associated with endocrine imbalance including growth hormone deficiency. The aetiology of slipped capital femoral epiphysis is still unknown although many theories have been proposed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Study of foetal hip: intrauterine positions and sonographic aspects.

The authors present their initial experience in the US Study of the foetal hip. Focusing on difficulties found and the possible advantages. The US foetal hip study shows that it is most likely to obtain qualitative morphologic data rather than quantitative that are interesting in case of occasional identification remark during US.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis associated with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome.

The association of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) and slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is described in a girl aged 9 years and 10 months. SCFE has never been reported associated with RTS, neither as an isolated anomaly, nor in a familial pedigree. However, a "stiff gait" is frequently described in RTS patients and, furthermore, obesity is a frequent feature of RTS patients. Some reports in the literature suggest the need for an early diagnosis of SCFE among adolescent relatives of patients with SCFE. Since many SCFEs are asymptomatic and an early diagnosis is essential for a favorable prognosis, we suggest an annual echotomographic or radiological examination of the hips in RTS patients.

Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome: description of four cases. Orthopaedic aspects.

Four cases of Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome are reported in which three were in the same family. The clinical and radiological findings were characteristic of the traditional features of the disease. The authors discuss the role of the orthopaedic surgeon in correcting the skeletal deformities.

Maguelone plaster braces for the reduction of scoliotic curves: methods and results.

The authors discuss the basic principles in the reduction of scoliotic curves using the Maguelone method devised by Perdriolle and Vidal. The mechanical concepts of this method derive from corrective forces characteristic of the E.D.F. method but are used differently in terms of direction and quantitative relationships, namely derotation-de-flexion-kyphotisation replaces the elongation-de-flexion-derotation which characterizes the E.D.F. method. This modification is based on the assumption that in the pathogenesis of scoliosis the stages involve rotation, flexion and lordosis in that order. The method is discussed in detail as are the principles on which it is based. Finally, a group of cases are presented demonstrating the percentage gain after reduction, expressed in Cobb angles and degrees of torsion. The results appear to provide significant support for the effectiveness of the method.

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia: treatment with local steroid infiltration.

A new treatment was used for 3 cases of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia based on the method used for the treatment of simple bone cysts by local infiltration of steroids. All 3 cases achieved consolidation and had no recurrence. This method may be used in association with the numerous other methods used in the treatment of congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (bone transplants, vascularized transplants using microsurgical techniques, electromagnetic induction, and the use of external fixators). It is particularly useful for cases treated at a very early age (even at a few months) when other types of treatment could be difficult to carry out and usually fail.