Segmental fracture of the femur with concomitant genu valgum: a one-stage solution.
Segmental fractures of the femur are high energy injuries usually treated with internal fixation. We present the case of such a fracture in which the femur had a preexisting genu valgum deformity from an earlier distal femur physeal arrest. This prevented standard intramedullary nailing or minimally invasive plate fixation. A technique of simultaneous correction of the distal femoral deformity coupled with stabilization of the segmental fracture is reported. Surgery involved an external fixator-assisted corrective osteotomy of the deformity and simultaneous minimally invasive plating of the segmental fracture. The advent of modern concepts of deformity correction has allowed a combination with present day internal fixation techniques to achieve correction, stabilization and union in a problem that would otherwise require two stages of surgery.
Ballal
Moez S
MS
Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics, Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK. dr_moez@yahoo.co.uk
Verma
Rajat
R
Nayagam
Selvadurai
S
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D016267:External Fixators; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D056304:Genu Valgum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome