Deformity Correction focuses on diagnosing and treating bone and joint deformities to improve alignment, mobility, and overall function using advanced surgical and non-surgical techniques.
Deformity correction is a specialized branch of orthopaedic surgery dedicated to diagnosing and treating congenital, developmental, post-traumatic, and degenerative deformities of the bones and joints. The primary goals are to restore normal alignment, improve function, enhance appearance, and prevent long-term complications such as arthritis or neurological impairment.
- Angular deformities (genu varum, genu valgum, coxa vara/valga)
- Rotational deformities (femoral anteversion/retroversion, tibial torsion)
- Limb-length discrepancies
- Congenital conditions (congenital pseudarthrosis, fibular hemimelia, radial club hand, Blount’s disease)
- Post-traumatic malunions and nonunions
- Neuromuscular deformities (cerebral palsy, spina bifida, polio sequelae)
- Skeletal dysplasias (achondroplasia, multiple hereditary exostoses)
- Foot and ankle deformities (clubfoot, cavovarus foot, flatfoot)
- Spinal deformities (scoliosis, kyphosis – often co-managed with spine surgeons)
- Clinical examination (gait analysis, range of motion, rotational profile)
- Standing full-length mechanical axis radiographs (EOS imaging preferred)
- 3D CT or MRI when needed (for complex joint involvement or osteochondral lesions)
- Bone age assessment in pediatric patients
- Guided Growth (Hemiepiphysiodesis)
- 8-plate or tension-band plating for angular correction in growing children
- Minimally invasive, reversible
- Hexapod Circular External Fixation (e.g., Taylor Spatial Frame, Hexapod rings)
- Gold standard for complex multiplanar, multi-apex, and shortening deformities
- Gradual correction with precise computer-assisted planning (chronic mode)
- Fully Implantable Lengthening Systems
- PRECICE® or FITBONE® nails for cosmetic stature lengthening and deformity correction with lengthening
- Plate-Assisted Deformity Correction
- TomoFix®, Puddu, or locking plates for opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and distal femoral osteotomy (DFO)
- 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Instrumentation (PSI)
- Cutting guides and reduction instruments tailored to the patient’s CT scan
- Joint Preservation Techniques
- Periarticular osteotomies (HTO, DFO, periacetabular osteotomy) to offload arthritic compartments
- Immediate or early weight-bearing when stable internal fixation is used
- Gradual weight-bearing protocol with external fixation
- Intensive physiotherapy focusing on range of motion, muscle strengthening, and gait retraining
- Regular radiographic follow-up until consolidation and hardware removal (if indicated)
With modern techniques, >95% of properly selected patients achieve excellent or good correction with significant improvement in pain, function, and quality of life. Complications (infection, nonunion, recurrence, neurovascular injury) have dramatically decreased with improved implants and planning software.
Deformity correction requires meticulous preoperative planning, precise surgical execution, and dedicated postoperative care, but when performed correctly, it can dramatically restore normal anatomy and function even in the most severe cases.