Congenital Coxa Vara

Abstract

Congenital coxa vara is not a true birth deformity. It is congenital only in the sense that there is mechanical and biological insufficiency of the neck of the femur resulting from varying degrees of trouble with enchondral ossification and longitudinal growth. The deformity itself is solely the result of mechanical insufficiency of the femoral neck its limit of tolerance to mechanical stress being exceeded. It is characterized by passive deformation and by the effect on the insufficient tissue of the pathological stress engendered by the inclination of the femoral neck. The deformity may be initiated in utero by forces acting on the femoral neck. Usually the typical deformity only becomes complete after birth due to the effect of the resultant compressive force on the neck of the femur.