Blount's disease

Blount's disease

Infobox_Disease
Name = PAGENAME


Caption =
DiseasesDB = 29304
ICD10 = ICD10|M|92|5|m|91
ICD9 = ICD9|732.4
ICDO =
OMIM = 259200
MedlinePlus = 001584
eMedicineSubj = radio
eMedicineTopic = 83
MeshID =

Blount's disease is a growth disorder of the tibia (shin bone) that causes the lower leg to angle inward, resembling a bowleg.

It is named for Walter Putnam Blount. [WhoNamedIt|synd|1470] [W. P. Blount. Tibia vara: osteochondrosis deformans tibiae. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Boston, 1937, 19: 1-29.]

Causes

Blount's disease occurs in young children and adolescents. The cause is unknown but is thought to be due to the effects of weight on the growth plate. The inner part of the tibia, just below the knee, fails to develop normally, causing angulation of the bone.

Unlike bowlegs, which tend to straighten as the child develops, Blount's disease is progressive and the condition worsens. It can cause severe bowing of the legs and can affect one or both legs.

This condition is more common among African-American children. It is also associated with obesity and early walking. There does not appear to be an obvious genetic factor.

ymptoms

Bowing of one or both legs that may:
* Be rapidly progressive
* Appear asymmetric
* Primarily occur just below the knee

igns and Tests

Physical examination shows that the lower legs angle inward. An x-ray of the knee and the lower leg confirms the diagnosis.

Treatment

Children who develop severe bowing before the age of 3 may be treated with bracing. If bracing fails, or if bowing is not detected until the child is older, surgery is usually required. Surgery may involve cutting the shin bone (tibia) to realign it, and sometimes lengthen it as well.

Other times, the growth of just the outer half of the tibia can be surgically restricted to allow the child’s natural growth to reverse the bowing process. This second, much smaller surgery is most effective in children with less severe bowing and significant growth remaining.

Prognosis

Return to normal function and cosmetic appearance is expected if the knee can be properly aligned.

Complications

Failure to treat Blount's disease may lead to progressive deformity.

Blount's disease may come back after surgery, especially in younger children.Because of the bowing, a leg-length discrepancy may result. This may result in disability if the discrepancy is significant (greater than 1 inch) and is not treated.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Blount brace disease — (blunt) [Walter Putnam Blount, American orthopedic surgeon, 1900–1992] see under brace and see tibia vara …   Medical dictionary

  • Disease — Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the… …   Medical dictionary

  • Blount disease — a condition causing bow legs as a result of abnormal growth at the epiphysis at the top of the tibia (shin bone). It is more common in Africans and is most noticeable in childhood. The condition may affect one or both legs, and affected children… …   Medical dictionary

  • Blount disease — a condition causing bow legs as a result of abnormal growth at the epiphysis at the top of the tibia (shin bone). It is more common in Africans and is most noticeable in childhood. The condition may affect one or both legs, and affected children… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • Blount — Walter P., U.S. orthopedic surgeon, *1900. See B. disease, B. Barber disease …   Medical dictionary

  • Paget's disease of bone — For other diseases named after Paget, see Paget s disease (disambiguation). Paget s disease of bone Classification and external resources This 92 year old male patient presented for assessment of acute hemiparesis. An incidental finding was… …   Wikipedia

  • Bone disease — Classification and external resources ICD 10 M80 M90 ICD 9 …   Wikipedia

  • Metabolic bone disease — Classification and external resources MeSH D001851 Metabolic bone disease is an umbrella term referring to abnormalities of bones caused by a broad spectrum of disorders. Most commonly these disorders are caused by abnormalities of minerals such… …   Wikipedia

  • Osgood–Schlatter disease — Osgood Schlatter condition Classification and external resources Lateral radiograph of the knee demonstrating fragmentation of the tibial tubercle with overlying soft tissue swelling. ICD 10 M …   Wikipedia

  • Morbus Blount — Klassifikation nach ICD 10 M87 Knochennekrose M87.0 Idiopathische aseptische Knochennekrose M87.1 Knochennekrose …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”