Corrective Osteotomies of the Lower Extremity after Trauma (PDF)

The reconstructive surgery of posttraumatic deformities has made significant advances in recent years. Reports on technical progress and clinical results are encouraging, even though they have often raised patient expectations to an unrealistic level. The operative methods available to us today enable corrective osteotomies to be performed with a high degree of accuracy and success. Precisely because the sequelae of trauma are so difficult to schematize, every case must be evaluated individually based on a critical assessment of subjective complaints, diagnosis and prognosis before a decision can be made. The planning and execution of corrective procedures are carried out with the same meticulous care as for idiopathic limb deformities. However, the occurrence of a traumatizing event with its immediate and long-term complications calls for special insight in the setting of therapeutic goals. It is essential that the patient be appraised of the results that can reasonably be expected and of the risks that are involved. Success in therapeutic procedures requires detailed theoretical knowledge, thorough operative training, and a strong commitment on the part of the surgeon. It is these aspects of the corrective surgery of posttraumatic deformities with which the editors are principally concerned.