title: A retrospective analysis of treatment and outcomes in patients with late onset tibia vara.
abstract: This retrospective analysis included 36 patients who presented with late-onset tibia vara during a 15-year period. Mean patient age at presentation was 12.8 years. Seventy-eight percent of patients were male, 78% were black, and 72% presented with unilateral deformity. Mean initial varus was 21 degrees with 5.8 degrees at the femur and 12.3 degrees at the tibia. Surgical correction was performed in 31 patients; 5 patients refused surgery. Patients who had osteotomies had a higher rate of complications than those treated with stapling. Epiphyseal stapling has unpredictable results in patients with late-onset tibia vara and is only a temporizing procedure in approximately half of cases. None of the treatments resulted in optimal knee function or alignment, and the long-term prognosis for late-onset tibia vara is guarded at best.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo, Kaleida Health System, Women's and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rauh
authors.forename: Douglas G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Armstrong
mesh_terms: D001178:Arthroplasty / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016916:Joint Deformities, Acquired / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013977:Tibia / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome