Treatment of angular deformities of the tibia in children: acute versus gradual correction.

This is a retrospective review of 25 tibial osteotomies (in 19 patients) performed with either acute or gradual correction to determine the outcome of treatment and incidence of neurovascular complications. Patients undergoing gradual correction had fewer neurovascular complications and greater correction than those undergoing acute correction (27 degrees vs. 18 degrees, respectively). It was concluded that gradual correction tends to be a safer technique for the treatment of tibial deformities and allows greater correction.