Clinical and radiological findings in Kirner's deformity. A report of nine cases.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to report radiological findings and evaluate the frequency with which Kirner's deformity is found in a large paediatric population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed X-ray films of the hands taken over the past 23.5 years in order to assess not only bone age but all sorts of bone abnormalities (trauma, haematological disorders, bone syndromes and dysplasias, dysmorphic features, rheumatic disorders, etc.) to retrospectively evaluate all those presenting Kirner's deformity.

RESULTS

Among the 16,326 patients who underwent X-ray study of the hands, nine (six males and three females, 0.055% of the total) presented the typical radiological features of Kirner's deformity; no patient had a family history of the disorder except for one, in whom the suspicion of familiarity could not be verified radiologically. The diagnosis of Kirner's deformity was straightforward in most cases. In one case, a girl affected by Turner's syndrome, the abnormality was suspected, and its appearance, development and evolution was followed over 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Although rare, as also shown by our study, Kirner's deformity must be recognised and properly diagnosed in order to spare the subject unnecessary surgical procedures.