Bilateral osteochondritis dissecans of the patella in an adolescent skier with patellofemoral maltracking treated with pulsed electromagnetic field therapy

Juvenile osteochondritis dissecans of the knee typically occurs in young athletes, and usually localizes on the medial femoral condyle. Bilateral localization is uncommon. Patellofemoral involvement is rare, mainly found in basketball and soccer players, and never related to patellofemoral congenital problems such as trochlear dysplasia. We report here the first case, to our knowledge, of bilateral juvenile osteochondritis dissecans with patellar localization in a young skier with patellofemoral maltracking and trochlear dysplasia.

Correction of post traumatic tibial varus deviation with hexapodalic external fixator

Physeal fractures are typical in childhood and for their involvement of the germinal layer of the physis they can be followed by growth complications. Axial deviation is one of these. Considering the young age of the patients it is critical to restore articular correct alignment with the least invasive surgery possible. We report here the first case of correction of post traumatic tibial varus deviation with exapodalic external fixator.

External fixation versus titanium endomedullary nail in the treatment of diaphyseal fractures of the lower limb in pediatric age: our experience

In the past, the use of external fixation technique (FE) in children was limited, as the patient's compliance to the treatment was scarce due to an important visual impact for the little patient. With the evolution of the surgical approach and the technology of fixators, we have been able to considerably implement the treatment possibilities, thus allowing for an immediate load bearing of the operated limb and for the early mobilization of the joints. The FE technique does not represent an overcoming of classical synthesis techniques by internal fixation with elastic intramedullary nails, but it simply offers a valid treatment alternative to selected cases. In this work, we radiologically and clinically evaluated pediatric patients treated with FE for diaphyseal fractures of the lower limb and we compared them with patients treated with standard Titanium Endomedullary Nail (TEN) techniques. Our results confirmed that FE is a valid alternative treatment for these types of fractures.