Limb deformities

The presence of limb deformities in children can be due to many causes such as:

  • Post-traumatic, after a fracture.
  •  Congenital, which are present from the time of birth.
  •  In relation to a metabolic syndrome.
  •  Idiopathic, where the pathological causes are unknown.
  • Neuromuscular diseases.

 In children, correction of deformities due to developing cartilage can be accomplished in the following ways:


  •  Hemi-epiphysiodesis, with the use of small metal plates that are applied across the part of the bone which is still growing. This technique allows gradual guided correction of the deformity avoiding the need to break the bone (osteotomy).  

  •  Osteotomy, which involves surgical division of the deformed bone and can be performed in two ways. Either acutely with internal fixation of the bone with nails or plate or gradually using Taylor Spatial frame external osteosynthesis.  Deformity correction using a Taylor Spatial frame is performed with the help of a computer program, resulting in accurate and three-dimensional correction of complex deformities.  Where necessary, bone lengthening can also be performed using a Taylor Spatial frame. 


X-rays show a severe tibial deformity corrected with a Taylor Spatial frame.