Supracondylar humeral osteotomy for traumatic childhood cubitus varus deformity.

Between 1958 and 1983, 45 corrective supracondylar osteotomies of the humerus were performed for post-traumatic cubitus varus deformity in 43 children. The average follow-up period was two and one-half years. Excellent or good results were obtained in 33 patients. Unsatisfactory results were seen in 12. The operation, though deceptively simple, had a significant complication rate (24%), including neuropraxia, sepsis, and cosmetically unacceptable scarring. After these problems were analyzed, the important points of technique that were noted were a comprehensive preoperative plan and a simple lateral closing wedge osteotomy, leaving the medial cortex intact and ignoring rotational deformity.