Summary
Physeal distraction for breaking bony bridges and the late treatment of long bone deformities in children near maturity, has been used in our Department since June, 1983. In all cases (4 bones in 3 patients) a deformity was present at the extremity of a long bone due to a bony bridge caused by a previous injury to the growth cartilage. The results were excellent and in our opinion there are advantages over other methods. The operation itself is not extensive and very little damage is done. There is no need for internal fixation or bone grafts. It is possible to obtain lengthening and to adjust the angular correction during treatment.
We conclude that it is possible to correct angular deformities and bone shortening due to bony bridges by physeal distraction without the need for resection of the bony bridge. At present we recommend this method in children near skeletal maturity, especially in those cases with bone shortening.
Résumé
Nous avons eu recours depuis Juin 1983 à la distraction épiphysaire pour rompre les ponts osseux et pour le traitement ultérieur des déformations des os longs chez les enfants en fin de croissance. Dans tous les cas (4 os chez 3 malades) il existait une déformation de l'extrémité d'un os long due à un pont osseux résultant d'un traumatisme antérieur du cartilage de conjugaison. Les résultats ont été excellents et à notre avis cette méthode présente de nombreux avantages par rapport aux autres. L'opération elle-même est peu agressive et n'entraîne que très peu de dommages. Elle ne nécessite ni matériel de synthèse ni greffe osseuse. Elle permet d'obtenir un allongement et de rectifier la correction d'une angulation au cours du traitement.
Pour conclure nous estimons qu'il est possible de corriger les déformations axiales et les raccourcissements dus à un pont osseux par la distraction épiphysaire, sans qu'il soit besoin de réséquer le pont osseux. Nous recommandons cette méthode chez les enfants en fin de croissance, notamment dans les cas qui comportent un raccourcissement osseux.
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Canadell, J., de Pablos, J. Breaking bony bridges by physeal distraction. International Orthopaedics 9, 223–229 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00266507
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00266507