Blount disease genetic and rare diseases information center. Physical therapy may be recommended to help your child move with greater ease and prevent the condition from progressing. Blounts disease is commonly attributed to an intrinsic, idiopathic defect in the posteromedial proximal tibial physis resulting in progressive bowing of the leg, intoeing, and lateral knee thrust. Dutch elm disease owes its name to the fact that it was first identified on. The most obvious characteristic of blounts disease is the varus of the knee, a deformity in which the knees bow outward in relation to the. The condition is called physiologic tibia varum when its a normal variation and the child will grow out of it. What is blounts disease blounts disease is a progressive childrens disease that effects the varus angle of the proximal tibia. An example of bow leg deformity in patient with blounts disease. Epidemiology there is no recognized inheritance pat. Street, suite 800 mia, florida 331mi 59 broadway, suite 1509 n, new york ew york 10018 helpline. But what about that moment when you receive an unexpected diagnosis. To report the outcome of treatment of severe blounts disease in late onset type by gradual correction using ilizarov and multiaxial.
Treatment of blounts disease in children depends on the age of the child. These braces are called kafp meaning knee, ankle, foot, and prosthetic. In rare instances, physiologic genu varum in the toddler will not completely resolve and during adolescence, the bowing may cause the child and family to have cosmetic concerns. Blounts disease blounts disease is the bowing of the tibia causing a varus angle which it is also known as tibia vara. The pediatric orthopedist uses this image to determine the mechanical axis of the deformity as well as its. Blount disease genetic and rare diseases information. Blount disease uf health, university of florida health. Blounts disease midwest bone and joint institute illinois. Blounts disease background, treatment and a new bracing.
Unlike bowlegs, which tend to straighten as the child develops, blount disease slowly gets worse. Our physical therapists can teach you and your child exercises for stretching and strengthening weak leg muscles affected by blount disease and to correct imbalances in your childs walk. Advocating as a parent for blounts disease the mighty. These factors are related, as advanced disease with bar formation is found in the older child. A collection of disease information resources and questions answered by our genetic and rare diseases information specialists for blount disease. The disease causes the growth plate near the inside of the knee to either slow down or stop making new bone.
Patients can be seen by texas childrens experts in orthopedics. Infantile blount disease is less commonly associated with obesity and is often bilateral. Any information contained in this pdf file is automatically generated from digital. Blount disease is listed as a rare disease by the office of rare diseases ord of the national institutes of health nih. Blount disease refers to a local disturbance of growth of the medial aspect of the proximal tibial metaphysis andor epiphysis that results in tibia vara.
It can affect people at any time during the growing process, but its more common in kids younger than 4 and in teens. August 1999 symptoms disease cycle control susceptibility dutch elm disease ded is known by many as the most destructive shade tree disease in the united states. Infantile blounts disease is recognized as a progressive phenomenon. Blountbarber disease blount displacement osteotomy blount epiphysiodesis blount hip. Bowlegs also known as tibia varum singular or tibia vara plural are common in toddlers and young children. Most toddlers have bowlegs from positioning in utero in the uterus. Blounts disease, identified and described by blount in 19371 and initially reported by erlacher2 in 1922 is a condition of unknown etiology, characterized by varus deformity3 of the proximal tibia in previously healthy children, usually between two and five years old. Idiopathic tibia vara or blounts disease can be classified into three ageonset. Blounts disease is a rare growth disorder that affects children, causing the legs to bow outwards just below the knees.
Blount disease is a developmental disorder associated with childhood obesity. If you have problems viewing pdf files, download the latest version of adobe reader. Lateonset blount disease has been further subcategorized into juvenile, occurring at age 410 years, and adolescent, occurring at older than 10 years. There is paucity of information on haematological parameters of the patients. While it is not uncommon for young children to have bowed legs, typically the bowing improves with age. The adolescent form as in this case invariably occurs in obese children.
Due to the risk of evolving with progressive angular deformity, many cases come to require surgical. Blount disease symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and causes. Availability circle days and hours you could volunteer monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday sunday a. Complete closing wedge osteotomy for correction of blount. Blounts disease occurs in young children and adolescents. But this excess pressure prevents the bone from growing normally. However, as most children begin to walk, between the ages of 1 and 2 years old, their legs gradually straighten out. Blounts disease is a pediatric condition resulting from local disturbance of growth of the medial proximal tibial epiphysis that results in a varus deformity tibia vara. Infantile blounts disease occurs in children up to three years old and only affects the growth plate at the end of the tibia shin bone. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of blount disease is available below. Blounts disease pediatric columbiadoctors new york. Blount disease is a growth disorder that affects the bones of the lower leg, causing them to bow outward.
It can lead to deformity, arthritis, or osteoporosis in the future. Blount disease is very different from the type of bowlegs that are so common in babies and toddlers. Blount disease, on the other hand whether it starts in early childhood or the teen years. The prognosis has been shown by doyle 23 in a 15year followup study to be principally related to two factors. Blount s disease blounts disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone tibia in which the lower leg bows. Blounts disease also known as tibia vara is a deformity at or just below the knee joint caused by an abnormality of the growth plate at the top of the tibia lower legshin bone. This may include surgical correction and use of braces. The full text of this article is available in pdf format.
Blount disease definition of blount disease by medical. Blount disease in children symptoms treatment pictures. Generally braces are given to wear on the legs to correct the bend. Nonsurgical treatment for blount disease in children nyu. But the bowing almost always straightens out on its own once a child starts walking between the ages of 1 and 2. The treatment is usually given to manage the signs and symptoms and any complications that develops. Meltmetaphyseal and diphyseal osteotomy for correction of infantile. Currently, blount disease may not be preventable, since it is a genetic disorder. Pdf files for printing pdf file size approximate download time over a 56k modem. It is characterised by progressive multiplanar deformities of the leg caused by disordered endochondral ossification of. Besides physeal abnormalities of the proximal tibia, compensatory changes in the intraarticular morphology of the.
The cause is unknown but is thought to be due to the effects of weight on the growth plate. Blount disease blount bent blade blount blade plate blount bone retractor blount bone spreader blount brace blount disease nonrachitic bowlegs in children. Blounts disease is a rare bone disease that does not have enough research or a foundation supporting this condition. Blount staple definition of blount staple by medical. Based on whether the deformity is first noted before or after 4 years of age, earlyonset and lateonset forms of blount disease have been described. There is no cure for blount disease, since it is a genetic condition. Blount s disease is a condition found in children that affects the growth plates around the knee. Blounts disease known as bow leg affects the tibia bone and leads to retarded growth most times. About blounts disease bowleg limb lengthening service. Blounts disease or tibia varatreatmentcausessymptoms.
Blount disease is most likely to be caused by a combination of excessive compressive forces on the proximal medial metaphysis of the tibia and altered endochondral bone formation. The inner part of the tibia, just below the knee, fails to develop normally, causing angulation of the bone unlike bowlegs, which tend to straighten as the child develops, blounts disease is progressive and the condition worsens. A bone developmental disorder that affects the shin bone tibia resulting in a progressive bowlegged appearance due to the inward facing angle of the shin bone. Infantile blount disease is diagnosed at age years, presenting when a child begins to ambulate. Blounts disease, also known as tibia vara, is a developmental growth disorder of the tibia that causes the lower leg to angle outwards, causing bowing of the leg. What are the characteristic features of blount disease. Blount disease tibia vara is an angular tibia deformity that includes varus, increased posterior slope, and in ternal rotation. Blounts disease treatment johns hopkins department of. This means that blount disease, or a subtype of blount disease, affects less than 200,000 people in the us population. It is characterized by a disordered endocondral ossification of the medial tibial ephisis 3 first documented as infantile tibial vera by erlacher 70 years. How im learning to trust my journey with rare disease. Blount s disease is a rare growth disorder that affects children, causing the legs to bow outwards just below the knees.
Blounts disease is an uncommon disorder of posteromedial proximal tibial physis. We have all had days when something goes bad at work or not as expected and we feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained. The braces start from the thighs and extend up to the foot including the toes. Blount disease occurs in young children and adolescents. Blounts disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone tibia in which the lower leg bows.
Blount disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone characterized by inward turning of the lower leg bowing that slowly worsens over time. If the deformity is severe enough, then surgery to correct the remaining bowingusually by guided growthmay be needed. Pdf management of severe recurrent blounts disease the. It is thought to be due to the effects of weight on the growth plate. Blount disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone tibia in which the lower leg turns inward, making it look like a bowleg. Of the 32 files, 26 were retained females and males seen at a mean age of 3 years range. Often manifesting itself in obese children and early walkers, blounts disease presents by two years of age and is hallmarked by severe bowlegs. This is a disease that affects under 200,000 kids in the united states. The inner part of the shin bone, just below the knee, fails to develop normally. A patients guide to blount s disease in children and adolescents introduction.
A small amount of bowing is actually quite normal in young infants. Blounts disease is a pediatric condition that affects the growth plates below the knee and causes a child to have a bowlegged appearance. The early onset or infantile blountdisease, occurring before the age of 4 years. Unlike bowlegs, which tend to straighten as the child develops, blounts disease slowly gets worse.
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