Modified French Osteotomy for Cubitus Varus Correction: Our Experience

Abstract

Background: Various fixation techniques have been described for osteotomy for correction of cubitus varus. Kirschner-wiring (K-wiring) was used in the past for fixation; however, rates of fixation failure and pin-track infection were high. Fixation with two screws and a figure-of-eight wiring provides a stable fixation in children younger than 15 years. Herein, we used a modified lateral approach and a figure-of-eight construct with two screws and evaluated the outcome. Methods: A case series comprising 35 patients out of the total of 54 patients who underwent modified French osteotomy between January 2013 to December 2021 was conducted retrospectively. Functional outcomes were assessed using the modified Mayo Elbow Performance Scoring (MEPS) system. Results: There were 22 male and 13 female subjects in the study group. We had excellent results in 16 cases, good outcomes in 13 cases, and fair outcomes in 6 cases. Superficial infection was seen in three patients and four patients had occasional negligible pain. In addition, there was no loss of correction or fixation failures in our study. Conclusion: Modified French osteotomy using two screws and figure-of-eight wiring is a simple and safe procedure that yields satisfactory outcomes. A careful preoperative planning, sufficient surgical technique, and stable fixation are key to achieving satisfactory functional outcomes.