Nonmetallic Anterior Hemiepiphysiodesis of the Distal Femur with a Low-Profile, Pretensioned Implant

Abstract

Case: A 14-year-old adolescent boy with left-sided spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy presented with a 14° left knee flexion contracture and resultant gait disturbance in the setting of an open distal femoral physis. He underwent subsequent anterior distal femur hemiepiphysiodesis with a suture anchor–based, nonmetallic implant. He achieved full correction at the 1-year follow-up and underwent uncomplicated implant removal. Conclusion: A low-profile, suture-based implant used for pediatric knee flexion deformity may allow surgeons to control growth in a reversible fashion by tensioning the physis while possibly avoiding some of the complications associated with currently used implants.