Background: Although Fassier-Duval (FD) rods have been used for almost 2 decades, knowledge of factors predisposing to their failure is limited. Thus, the purpose of this study was to: (1) present the most common complications of FD rodding, (2) present tips on how to avoid or overcome them, and (3) identify factors predisposing to treatment failure. Methods: Fifty-eight rod segments in 19 patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (mainly type III) underwent analysis with a median follow-up (FU) time of 4.4 years. We assessed the total number of complications clinically and radiographically. Next, the possible predisposing factors leading to failure were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. In addition, we evaluated the cutoff age for the increased rate of complications using the Youden index. A P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: The total number of complications reached 44.8%. The most common complications included: migration of the male or female implant (45.7% and 25.7% out of the total number of complications, respectively), bone fracture with bending of the rod (8.6%), and rotational deformities (8.6%). Significant differences in patients’ ages at the time of surgery were found between the group with and without complications (P=0.04), while sex, segment treated, preceding surgeries, length of FU, FD rod diameter, and length of bisphosphonate treatment were not significant. The Youden index showed that the risk of complications rose significantly in patients treated when younger than 5.5 years of age (P<0.05). Conclusions: This series displays the effectiveness and utility of FD rods at a median FU of over 4 years. Complication rates were comparable with the existing literature, with a notable increase in the number of side effects observed in younger patients (below the age of 5). Level of Evidence: Level IV—therapeutic study.

Background Cam morphology is thought to originate near puberty and reflects a response of the peripheral aspect of the proximal femoral physis to increased local load. Participation in particular sports activities has been associated with cam morphology in contemporary patient populations; however, it is unclear whether cam is a recent phenomenon. There are limited data regarding the frequency of its occurrence and the general deviations in femoral anatomy in different historical populations. Such information may help to understand the possible influence of lifestyle and diet on cam morphology. Questions/purposes The purpose of this study was to evaluate femoral morphology in three historical populations. We asked: (1) Was cam morphology present in the three study populations, did those populations differ, and were there differences between sexes? (2) Were there differences in neck-shaft angle, version, or inclination between and among the examined populations? Methods We examined 204 adult femurs from the Neolithic population from Iran (n = 37, 3000 BC to 1631 BC), medieval population from Poland (n = 135, 10th to 13th centuries), and contemporary Australian aborigines (n = 32, early 20th century), provided by the Open Research Scan Archive, Museum of the First Piasts at Lednica and the University of Wrocław, respectively. All three human populations represent different chronologic periods and lifestyles. All bones were scanned using CT and then measured on their three-dimensional (3-D) reconstructions in selected planes. Cam impingement was defined as an alpha angle > 55° measured on the inclination view. To evaluate the differences in anatomy between populations, we measured the true neck-shaft angle on the true AP view, apparent neck-shaft angle on the apparent AP view, the version angle on the version view, and the inclination angle on the inclination view. The prevalence of cam morphology and other anatomic parameters were compared among groups using chi-square test, one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey test, and paired t-test. Results Cam morphology was present in 5% of the Neolithic population from Iran, in 7% of the medieval population from Poland, and 3% of the contemporary Australian aborigine femurs (OR Neolithic population from Iran/the medieval population from Poland 0.7 [95% CI 0.2 to 3.4]; p = 0.67; OR Neolithic population from Iran/contemporary Australian aborigines 1.8 [95% CI 0.2 to 20.5]; p = 0.65; OR the medieval population from Poland/contemporary Australian aborigines 2.5 [95% CI 0.3 to 20.1]; p = 0.40). There were differences in the presence of cam morphology between the sexes in the medieval population from Poland with both femurs (females: 1% [1 of 76]; males: 15% [9 of 59]; p = 0.002). There was a difference in true neck-shaft angle between the Neolithic population from Iran (121° ± 6°) and contemporary Australian aborigines (131° ± 5°; mean difference 10° [95% CI 7° to 13°]; p < 0.001) and between the medieval population from Poland (124° ± 5°) and the contemporary Australian aborigines (mean difference 7° [95% CI 5° to 9°]; p < 0.001). Apparent neck-shaft angle differed between the Neolithic population from Iran (126° ± 6°) and the contemporary Australian aborigines (134° ± 5°; mean difference 8° [95% CI 6° to 11°]; p < 0.001), and between the medieval population from Poland (126° ± 6°) and the contemporary Australian aborigines (mean difference 9° [95% CI 7° to 11°]; p < 0.001). Moreover, we observed a difference in the version angle between the Neolithic population from Iran (19° ± 7°) and the medieval population from Poland (12° ± 9°; mean difference 7° [95% CI 4° to 10°]; p < 0.001] and in the inclination angle between aforementioned groups (18° ± 7° versus 11° ± 8°; mean difference 7° [95% CI 5° to 10°]; p < 0.001). Conclusion This study found that cam morphology existed in historical populations at rates comparable with a contemporary population. Clinical Relevance The presence of cam morphology in historical populations suggests that cam morphology can develop outside of the intense sports activity seen in modern adolescents. Further study will help elucidate the etiology of cam morphology, which may be useful in the development of preventive strategies.

Purpose Late-diagnosed dislocated hips underwent open reduction, Dega osteotomy, and proximal femoral osteotomy between 1968 and 1988. The objectives of this study are to assess the survival of hips into adulthood, clinical and radiological outcome, patients’ life perspectives and the risk factors of failure. Methods An assessment of 67 hips treated when younger than five years (<age 5yr. group) and 71 hips in the group aged older than five years (+age 5yr.) was performed. All cases were evaluated clinically and radiographically, and survival was assessed, considering hip replacement as endpoints for failure (abbreviation HR+ refers to hips that underwent hip replacement surgery; HR- refers to hips that have not been replaced at the follow-up). The fertility rate and the social security disability benefits (SSDB) recipiency percentage were calculated. Results The 40-year survival rates were 73% (95% confidence (CI) 71% to 76%) in the <age 5yr. group, 54% (95% CI 51% to 57%) in the +age 5yr. group, 70% (95% CI 67% to 73%) in one-sided dislocations and 57% (95% CI 54% to 60%) in bilateral dislocations. At follow-up, the median Harris hip and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis scores were 90.0 and 13.0 (<age 5yr. group, HR-), 74.0 and 28.0 (+age 5yr. group, HR-), 90.0 and 16.0 (<age 5yr. group, HR+) and 84.5 and 11.5 (+age 5yr. group, HR+), respectively. The operation normalized the radiological parameters. The correlation between the grade of femoral head avascular necrosis (AVN) at a median 2.6 years after the operation and the grade of osteoarthritis at follow-up was 0.38 (p < 0.001). The fertility rate was 1.54. In total, 16.0% (aged under five years) and 38.5% (aged over five years) of patients were receiving SSDB (p = 0.003). Conclusion Early failure risk factors are older age at the surgical procedure, high AVN grade and bilateral hip involvement. Still, the results facilitate hip reposition whenever technically manageable, even in teenagers. Level of evidence III

Background. Wiktor Dega originally described the surgical technique of transiliac osteotomy in 1969 in the Polish Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery Journal. Its worldwide popularity spread just after it was presented in English by Grudziak and Ward in 2001 [1]. This paper aims to describe the development of the technique by Wiktor Dega’s team. Material and methods. An analysis of original papers published by Dega between 1929-1974 was performed to clarify the chronology of development of the technique. Results. Dega’s interest in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) had begun as early as 1929, when he presented in Vilnius a paper about the aetiology and pathogenesis of the disease. The concept of transiliac osteotomy had been initially based on König’s idea of shelf procedure. Dega called this procedure plastic surgery of the acetabular roof and performed it between 1927 and 1930. In 1964, Dega published a paper that described the basic concept of DDH treatment with a pelvic osteotomy termed supraacetabular semi-circular osteotomy. This procedure differed from transiliac osteotomy because it did not involve cutting the inner cortex of the ilium. In 1968 the first ‘technically proper’ transiliac osteotomy was performed and then described in 1969. In 1974, Dega emphasized that both the outer and inner iliac walls should be osteotomized in the transiliac osteotomy. Conclusion. The political situation of the 1950s and the 1960s made it difficult to freely exchange views and clinical experiences between the Western and Eastern political camps. Despite this, Wiktor Dega became a precursor of effective surgical treatment in DDH worldwide.

Background: Three-dimensional idiopathic scoliosis cannot be accurately assessed with the aid of a single plane parameterthe Cobb angle. We propose a novel method for evaluating the three-dimensional (3D) pattern of scoliosis based on two X-rays (PA and lateral). The proposed method consists of the measurements of the angles between the upper endplate of the upper-end vertebra and the lower endplate of the lower-end vertebra (3D scoliosis angle). Methods: The 3D-angles of thirty scoliosis curves were measured with either computed tomography (CT) or digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs): PA and lateral. CT was used as a reference. In the case of CT, the 3D angle was calculated based on the coordinates of three points situated on the upper endplate and those of three points situated on the lower endplate of the scoliosis curve. In the case of the DRR, the 3D angle was calculated using the four-angle method: the angles formed by the endplates of the curve with the transverse plane. The results were tested with the Student's t-test, and the agreement of measurements was tested with the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: There was no significant difference between the 3D-angle measurements obtained with DRRs versus CT, p > 0.05. There was, however, a significant difference between the 3D-scoliosis angle and the Cobb angle measurements performed based on the X-rays. The reproducibility and reliability of 3D angle measurements were high. Conclusions: Based on two standard radiographs, PA and lateral, it is possible to calculate the 3D scoliosis angle. The proposed method facilitates 3D-scoliosis assessment without the use of sophisticated devices. Considering the 3D nature of AIS, the 3D parameters of the spine may help to apply a more effective treatment and estimate a more precise prognosis for patient with scoliosis.