No abstract

The Ponseti method to treat idiopathic clubfoot deformity has proven to be reliable, and several centers have reported excellent outcomes. Although the method has been dependable in obtaining initial correction of the foot, relapse rates ranging from 26% to 48% have been reported. When a relapsed deformity is detected early, treatment with a short series of manipulations and cast applications followed by resumption of postcorrective bracing may be all that is required to regain and maintain correction. In patients aged >2.5 years, especially those who may be refractory to further brace use, deformity correction by preoperative cast treatment, followed by anterior tibial tendon transfer to the third cuneiform, is a good treatment option. Other procedures, such as combined cuboid-cuneiform osteotomy, posterior ankle and subtalar release, and, rarely, comprehensive posteromedial release or correction by gradual distraction, may be useful in select patients.

Halo-gravity traction has been used preoperatively for patients with severe spinal deformity but there are limited data in the literature on the results and complications. We studied the outcomes of perioperative halo-gravity traction in children with severe spinal deformity. A retrospective study was carried out on patients who were treated at our center. Twenty-one patients were included in the study. Radiographic and pulmonary function parameters showed significant improvement during the course of traction and at the final follow-up. The overall complication rate was 19%, including two patients with pin loosening and two patients with superficial pin-site infections treated with oral antibiotics.

Level III-prognostic.

Background: The early diagnosis of pediatric septic arthritis is paramount to the prevention of long-term sequela. The purpose of this study is to investigate if the commonly used criteria developed by Kocher and colleagues for hip septic arthritis can be used for screening children with suspected septic knee. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients under the age of 19, between June 2002 to June 2017, who presented to a major tertiary-care children’s hospital with septic knee. Diagnostic criteria included either a positive synovial culture from the knee, synovial white blood cell (WBC)>50,000 cells/mm3, or synovial WBC count >25,000 cells/mm3 and clinical agreement of diagnosis from Infectious Disease and Orthopaedic colleagues. Collected data included the initial criteria described by Kocher and colleagues: history of fever, non–weight-bearing, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and serum WBC as well as a recently modified criterion: C-reactive protein. Univariate analysis was used to determine the quality of these variables in ruling out septic knee. Results: One hundred four patient charts were found to meet our inclusion criteria demonstrating C-reactive protein>20 mg/L (75%), fever (65%), non–weight-bearing status (64%), erythrocyte sedimentation rate>40 mm/h (60%), and WBC>12,000 cells/mm3 (49%). With the 25 different combinations of these predictors adjusted for, in an escalating manner, 0 predictors suggested a sensitivity of 0.02, 1 predictor a sensitivity of 0.06, 2 predictors a sensitivity of 0.2, 3 predictors a sensitivity of 0.32, 4 predictors a sensitivity of 0.3, and 5 predictors a sensitivity of 0.11. Conclusions: According to the Kocher criteria of the hip, at 3 or more criteria the probability of septic arthritis becomes 93% with a sensitivity of 0.84 provoking many physicians to use this cutoff in their assessment of hip pain. This study suggests that if these criteria were applied to the knee, 52% of septic knee cases could be missed. There is a need for further investigation of specific criteria of the knee as the markers of the hip septic arthritis are not necessarily applicable in the knee. Level of Evidence: Level III.

Not applicable.

Level III.

Level II-prognostic.