Rotation osteotomy of the tibia after poliomyelitis. A review of 51 patients.

After severe poliomyelitis, which is still relatively common in some developing countries, lateral rotation deformity of the tibia may occur. We have reviewed 51 patients treated by O'Donoghue's rotation osteotomy of the tibia. An average lateral rotation deformity of 57 degrees was fully corrected in all the patients, and in 38 of them the graft obtained during the osteotomy was used for a simultaneous Grice-Green subtalar arthrodesis in one or both feet. All the osteotomies united in an average of 11 weeks, some with relatively minor and unintentional posterior angulation. There was no posterior angulation when the length of the step cut osteotomy was 4.5 cm or more. O'Donoghue's osteotomy is a simple and safe operation, being particularly advantageous if a Grice-Green procedure is also required.