Locking plate for cubitus varus correction in osteogenesis imperfecta: a case report of 7 year-old girl

Abstract Background Cubitus varus deformity is a common complication of supracondylar fractures in children. However, cubitus varus in osteogenesis imperfect (OI) children is a rare but challenging situation. To the author’s knowledge, it is the first study discussing the correction of cubitus varus deformity in OI patient. Here we report a case of an 7-year-old OI girl who presented with varus deformities of the bilateral lower extremities and cubitus varus deformity of the left elbow due to a supracondylar fracture of humerus 3 year ago. The patient’s parent gave a history of supracondylar fracture of left humerus 3 years ago. Without medical intervention, the patient was admitted into our institution for corrective surgery with the diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta and cubitus varus deformity in the left arm. Result Medications including calcium, vitamin D and bisphosphonates were administered before the corrective surgery of cubitus varus, and a single locking plate was used to after the osteotomy. Right after the surgery, the appearance and ROM of the left arm was almost normal. Combined with gradual rehabilitation, the ROM of the left arm was normal without pain during daily use. The hardware was removed as the nailing of the forearm fractures was performed at the same time. Conclusion Cubitus varus is a common deformity in children resulting from elbow injuries, but it presents a challenging situation in OI patients. Locking plate combined with meticulous pharmacological intervention provides a good option for corrective surgery of cubitus varus in OI.