Traumatic partial arrest of tibial physis.

Two children with premature partial arrest of the tibial physis, one proximal and the other distal, were treated by resection of the bony bar and by the Langenskiold method of interposition of fat. In one child the arrest was the result of an open fracture and bony loss of the upper tibia. In the other child the arrest was caused by a Salter IV fracture. Preservation of the fat implant 20 months after operation was observed histologically. Correction of the deformity was accomplished in one case but not in the other.