The Effectiveness of Growth Modulation Using Tension Band Plates in Children With Achondroplasia in Comparison to Children With Idiopathic Frontal Axial Deformities of the Knee

Background: Achondroplasia is the most common form of rhizomelic dwarfism. Aside from disproportionally short extremities, frontal knee malalignments are common. We assessed the effectiveness of guided growth via tension band plates in children with achondroplasia in comparison to patients with idiopathic knee deformities using radiography.

Methods: Twenty children with achondroplasia (8 valgus/31 varus knees) and 35 children with idiopathic knee malalignments (53 valgus/12 varus knees) which underwent temporary hemiepiphysiodesis at the distal femur and/or proximal tibia were retrospectively compared. Radiographic outcomes (mechanical lateral distal femoral angle, medial proximal tibial angle, and mechanical axis deviation) were compared before surgery and plate removal. Correction rates according to plate location were compared as change per implant duration and per growth in leg length.

Results: Achondroplasia patients were younger (9±2 vs.12±2 y), femoral and tibial growth rate was 43.3% and 48.5% lower and implant duration lasted longer: 36.9±8.9 months in valgus knees and 23.0±14.3 months in varus knees versus 13.4±7.9 months in idiopathic valgus and 11.7±4.6 months in idiopathic varus knees. Significant improvements in joint orientation angles and mechanical axis deviation were achieved but femoral and tibial plates achieved slower correction per months in achondroplasia ( P ≤0.031). When normalized to bone growth, the rate of correction in joint orientation angles was no longer significantly different for the femur ( P =0.241), with a trend for slower correction in the tibia ( P =0.066). The corrections in MAD per leg growth (mm/mm) remained smaller ( P =0.001). In achondroplasia, older age correlated with slower MAD correction ( r =-0.36, P =0.022), femoral plates corrected faster than tibial ( P =0.024) and treatment of valgus was less successful than varus involving longer treatments ( P =0.009). More complications occurred in achondroplastic knees ( P =0.012).

Conclusions: Skeletally immature patients with achondroplasia can benefit from growth modulations, but they need longer treatments and face more complications. Their slower growth does not solely determine the more tenacious success.

Level of evidence: Therapeutic Level III-case-control study.