Tibial physeal closure and genu recurvatum after femoral fracture: occurrence without a tibial traction pin.

Abstract

Two cases of premature closure of the anterior portion of the proximal tibial physis with associated genu recurvatum deformity in adolescent males who had sustained a closed femur fracture are reported. In both cases, physeal closure occurred without use of a proximal tibial traction pin. In one patient, treatment included distal femoral pin traction; the other patient was treated with skin traction followed by spica cast. We believe that development of recurvatum of the tibia after femoral fracture in children is not necessarily iatrogenic and related to a tibial traction pin, but instead may result from physeal injury incurred at the time of the original trauma.