An infant with equino-varus deformity of her right foot and flexion deformity of the knee presented to our centre. Based on clinical and radiological examination findings, she was diagnosed with Paley Va (Jones Ia) axial longitudinal intercalary deficiency of the right leg as the entire tibia was absent. Consequent to cultural non-acceptance of amputation by the parents, her management involved staged procedures. The initial surgery aimed to achieve fusion between the talus and the distal end of the fibula after soft tissue release and fibular shortening. In the subsequent surgery, Weber patelloplasty comprising rotation of the patella distally by 90° and its fusion with the proximal fibula was performed. Complications included femoral osteomyelitis, skin necrosis and non-union at the site of the fibula and talus fusion, which were managed appropriately. Three years after the index procedure, the child has been walking with a stable, plantigrade foot, aided by a knee–foot–ankle orthosis and has a mobile knee joint with active movements. Although the reconstructed limb cannot be equated to a normal limb, the short-term outcomes show that reconstruction can be offered if parents do not consent for amputation and are willing to accept the prolonged duration of treatment.
Mohapatra et al. (Thu,) studied this question.