Correction of a Lower Leg Deformity

This 48 year old male was referred to our program because of deformity of his lower leg. He was struck by a car in 1987 when he was crossing the street. Both of his legs (tibia bones) were broken as a result of the accident. The fractures were surgically repaired but his right leg healed in a bowed manner which left him shorter on the left than the right, "knock-kneed" on the left, and with a potential for knee and ankle problems in the future.

The examination of this patient showed a 3 inch shortening of his left leg compared to his right. He had bowing of his tibia (lower leg bone) and the medial (inner) compartment of his knee joint was starting to wear because the bones of the knee joint were touching.


X-ray showing bowing of the tibia	X-ray of both knees (right image is the left knee). The inner surface of the left knee has collapsed so the bones that make up the joint are touching.

The plan for this patient was to correct all the deformities with one surgical intervention. A Taylor Spatial Frame was used because of its ability to correct deformities in different planes, and with computer assist planning. The surgeons with the bone healing team were able to determine the best placement for the frame.


Standing x-ray to plan frame placement.	Lateral (side) view of the lower leg for planning frame placement to correct bowing of his leg.

Post-op x-ray of frame placement.
2 cuts were made in the leg to start

the process of correcting the bowing,

and the "knock knee".

X-ray 2 weeks after the procedure

showing distraction (pulling apart)
of the top incision to lengthen the

bone.

X-ray at 2 months showing some

bone starting to form in the cuts

(wispy appearing at the top cut).


CT scan 3 months after the original procedure showing bone formation.	Standing x-ray that shows the knee joint with less contact, demonstrating the correction of the "knock knee".

Xrays after the frame was removed. There is more space at

his knee joint indicating that the knock knee deformity was

corrected. There is less bowing back of his tibia demonstrating

correction of that deformity.

Treatment Options

Bone Transport

Allograft Bone Transplantation

Vascularized Bone Flaps

Internal Fixation Options

Bone Growth Stimulators

Stem Cell Injection

Meet the Team

John Polousky, MD

thumb_J.Polousky.p1 Dr. John Polousky is the surgical director of Rocky Mountain Youth Sports Medicine Institute. He attended medical school at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic residency at The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Polousky went on to complete a pediatric orthopedic fellowship at The Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado. He completed post-residency training in complex limb reconstruction at the International Center for Limb Lengthening in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to youth sports injuries Dr. Polousky's clinical interests include complex limb reconstruction, deformity correction and cartilage restoration.

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