Our results show that the Ponseti technique is reproducible and effective in children at least up to 12 months of age. It can also produce good correction in children presenting with complex idiopathic deformities. Therefore, extensive joint releases should not be considered immediately in such cases. The treating surgeon should be meticulous in using the technique and ensure compliance to foot abduction brace in order to avoid recurrences.

Non-compliance with periods of intolerance is very common for children during orthosis treatment. Parents' coping strategies are very important to avoid relapses. It is important to develop strategies to guide parents.

Dega acetabuloplasty at the time of open reduction is effective in improving the acetabular coverage of the femoral head, hence improving the stability of reduction and preventing possible surgery in the future for residual acetabular dysplasia in older children with Tönnis grade 3 and 4 developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). The aim of this study was to assess the radiological results of open reduction combined with Dega osteotomy in DDH. Twenty-two children's 26 hips were operated on at a mean age of 38±20.4 SD months and followed up for an average of 42 (range 24-108) months. Thirteen hips (50%) were operated on with concomitant open reduction and capsulorrhaphy, and 13 hips (50%) were treated with concomitant open reduction, capsulorrhaphy and femoral shortening osteotomy. Radiological examination included acetabular index (AI) and centre edge angle measurements. The mean preoperative AI was 39.4±6.9° SD, which improved to 18.3±4.5° SD postoperatively, and AI was measured as 15±3.5° SD at the latest follow-up. There was a significant difference in the mean AI values between the last follow-up and the preoperative measurements (P<0.05). The mean centre edge angle was 31±5.6° SD postoperatively, and it was 31±6.2° SD at follow-up. There was no significant difference between the two values. Two hips were noted to have lateralization of the femoral head due to coxa valga anteverta. One of them was operated with a femoral varus osteotomy. The Dega osteotomy combined with anterior open reduction and femoral osteotomies is a safe and effective acetabular osteotomy for surgical treatment of severe DDH such as Tönnis grade 3 and 4 dislocations.

Background Infection after open fractures is a common complication. Treatment options for infections developed after intramedullary nailing surgery remain a topic of controversy. We therefore used a rat fracture model to evaluate the effects of infection on osseous union when the implant was maintained.Questions/purposes In a rat model, (1) does infection alter callus strength; (2) does infection alter the radiographic appearance of callus; and (3) does infection alter the histological properties of callus? Methods An open femoral fracture was created and fixed with an intramedullary Kirschner wire in 72 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, which were divided into two study groups. In the infection group, the fracture site was contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus (36 animals), whereas in the control group, there was no bacterial contamination (36 animals). No antibiotics were used either for prophylaxis or for treatment. We performed biomechanical (maximum torque causing failure and stiffness), radiographic (Lane and Sandhu scoring for callus formation), and histologic (scoring for callus maturity) assessments at 3 and 6 weeks. The number of bacteria colonies on the femur, wire, and soft tissue inside knee were compared to validate that we successfully created an infection model. The number of bacteria colonies in the soft tissue inside the knee was higher in the infection group after 6 weeks than after the third week, demonstrating the presence of locally aggressive infection. Results Infection decreased callus strength at 6 weeks. Torque to failure (299.07 ± 65.53 Nmm versus 107.20 ± 88.81, mean difference with 95% confidence interval, 192 [43-340]; p = 0.007) and stiffness at 6 weeks (11.28 ± 2.67 Nmm versus 2.03 ± 1.68, mean difference with 95% confidence interval, 9 [3-16]; p = 0.004) both were greater in the control group than in the group with infection.