Cubitus varus deformity in young adults, Correction by rigidly fixed lateral closing wedge osteotomy

Abstract

Neglected or poorly managed elbow trauma in developing countries often present as complex deformities of elbow in adolescents and young adults. Mostly deformities are being corrected for functional and/or cosmetic reasons. Same is the case with neglected post-traumatic cubitus varus deformity in young adults both male and female. Often these deformities are being corrected before the skeletal maturity even in developing countries now a day's except few underprivileged whose deformities are left unaddressed till skeletal maturity. This is a retrospective study which was conducted on 14 young adults with post-traumatic cubitus varus deformity who underwent corrective surgery in our hospital during last three years. The mean age of patients was 24.4 years and mean time since injury to correction of deformity was 18 years. The male and female ratio was equal. Our mean follow up was 21.42 months. The mean cubitus varus deformity of -15.42 0 was corrected to a mean of cubitus valgus of 11.71 0 and our mean valgus angle on normal side was 13 0 . The lateral condyle prominence was reduced from mean of 5.56 to mean of -13.14 percent. Neglected traumatic deformity like cubitus varus must be dealt early to avoid complications. Lateral closing wedge osteotomy with rigid fixation of lateral column of distal humerus for correction of cubitus varus in young skeletally mature adults has promising results in achieving the correction of deformity, timely union and preserving the elbow arc of motion.