Tibial hemimelia with separate soft-tissue cover of the tibia and fibula

J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2011 Jul;93(7):990-1. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.93B7.26599.

Abstract

We report a variant of tibial hemimelia in a six-year-old boy that did not comply with recognised classification systems. The femur and knee were normal, but the fibula was displaced proximally and there was severe diastasis of the proximal and distal tibiofibular joints to the extent that a grossly deformed foot articulated with the fibula and there was separate soft-tissue cover for the distal tibia and fibula. Although it would have been preferable to create a one-bone leg, amputate the foot and use the fibula as the stump for a below-knee prosthesis, local circumstances resulted in the choice of a disarticulation through the knee. This was undertaken without complications, and six months post-operatively the child was walking comfortably with a prosthesis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Artificial Limbs
  • Bone Diseases, Developmental / diagnostic imaging
  • Bone Diseases, Developmental / surgery
  • Child
  • Disarticulation
  • Ectromelia
  • Fibula / abnormalities*
  • Fibula / surgery
  • Foot Deformities, Congenital / diagnostic imaging
  • Foot Deformities, Congenital / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Knee Joint / surgery
  • Male
  • Radiography
  • Tibia / abnormalities
  • Tibia / diagnostic imaging
  • Tibia / surgery

Supplementary concepts

  • Absence of Tibia