METHODS: Patients treated for Blount disease using external fixator from 2002 to 2016 were recruited for the study. We used Ilizarov and Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) external fixator to perform simultaneous correction of all the metaphyseal deformities without elevating the tibia plateau. Surgical outcome was evaluated using mechanical axis deviation (MAD), tibial femoral angle (TFA), and femoral condyle tibial shaft angle (FCTSA).
RESULTS: A total of 22 patients with 32 tibias have been recruited for the study. The mean MAD improved from 95 ± 51.4 mm to 9.0 ± 37.7 mm (medial to midpoint of the knee), mean TFA improved from 31 ± 15° varus to 2 ± 14° valgus, and mean FCTSA improved from 53 ± 14° to 86 ± 14°. Mean duration of frame application is 9.4 months. Two patients developed pathological fractures over the distracted bones, one developed delayed consolidation and other developed overcorrection.
CONCLUSIONS: Correction of Blount disease can be achieved by gradual correction using Ilizarov or TSF external fixator with low risk of soft tissue complication. Longer duration of frame application should be considered to reduce the risk of pathological fracture or subsequent deformation of the corrected bone.
METHODS: The data was extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS)-2014. A total of 4,092 married non-pregnant Bangladeshi mothers who had at least one child aged 2 years or younger were included in this study. A two-level logistic regression model was used to remove the clustering effect for finding the impact of socio-economic and demographic factors on EIBF.
RESULTS: The prevalence of EIBF among Bangladeshi mothers was 51.4% (urban: 47.1% and rural: 53.4%). A two -level logistic regression model showed that mothers living in the Sylhet division (p<0.01) and rural environment (p<0.05) were more likely to practice EIBF. Mothers who were obese or overweight (p<0.01), had secondary (p<0.05) or higher education (p<0.01) were less likely to provide early breastfeeding to their newborn babies compared to their counterparts. Those who delivered by caesarian-section (p<0.01) were less likely to perform EIBF while those who attended an antenatal care clinic more than 3 times (p<0.05) were more likely to do so.
CONCLUSIONS: About half of the Bangladeshi mothers did not start breast-feeding within one hour after birth. This study identified several geographical and socio-demographic factors that were associated with EIBF, and hope that this information will help the government to focus their resources to promote early breastfeeding.
Materials and methods: We reviewed four patients with neurofibromatosis with severe PT spinal deformity. Case 1, a 16-year-old male presented with severe PT kyphoscoliosis (scoliosis: 89°, kyphosis: 124°) and thoracic myelopathy. Case 2 was a 14-year-old, skeletally immature male who presented with a PT lordoscoliosis (scoliosis: 85°). Case 3, a 13-year-old male, presented with severe PT kyphoscoliosis (scoliosis: 100°, kyphosis: 95°). Case 4, a 35-year-old gentleman, presented with severe PT kyphoscoliosis (scoliosis: 113°, kyphosis: 103°) and thoracic myelopathy. All patients underwent pre-operative halo-pelvic traction. After a period of traction, all patients underwent posterior spinal fusion (PSF) with autologous bone grafts (local and fibula bone grafts) and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2).
Results: Both patients with thoracic myelopathy regained near normal neurological status after halo-pelvic traction. Following traction, the scoliosis correction rate (CR) ranged from 18.0% to 38.9%, while the kyphosis CR ranged from 14.6% to 37.1%. Following PSF, the scoliosis CR ranged from 24.0% to 58.8%, while the kyphosis CR ranged from 29.1% to 47.4%. The total distraction ranged from 50-70mm. Duration of distraction ranged from 26-95 days. The most common complication encountered during halo-pelvic traction was pin-related e.g. pin tract infection, pin loosening and migration, osteomyelitis, and halo-pelvic strut breakage. No patients had cranial nerve palsies or neurological worsening.
Conclusion: Pre-operative correction of severe PT spinal deformities could be performed safely and effectively with the halo-pelvic device prior to definitive surgery.
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the radiographic parameters of 22 patients (32 lower limbs) with Blount's disease who underwent gradual correction of deformity using a ring external fixator without surgical elevation of the depressed medial tibial plateau at a mean age of 15 (range 10-37) years. Preoperative and postoperative angles of depressed medial tibia plateau (ADMTPs) of the same patient were compared for any significant change. Normally distributed data were analysed using Student's t -test when comparing two groups or one-way analysis of variance when comparing more than two groups. Skewed data were analysed using Mann-Whitney test.
RESULTS: After extra-articular mechanical alignment surgery, statistically significant improvements in medial tibial plateau depression were seen in the infantile ( P = 0.03) and juvenile ( P = 0.04) Blount's subgroups. Change in ADMTP was greater in patients who were operated on at age <17 years, before skeletal maturity ( P = 0.001). The improvement was likely due to ossification of unossified cartilage at the posteromedial proximal tibia and the remodelling potential of proximal tibia physis after mechanical realignment.
CONCLUSION: Improvement of medial tibia plateau depression is possible after mechanical realignment without surgical hemiplateau elevation in cases of infantile and juvenile Blount's disease that present late for treatment, especially when the operation is performed before 17 years of age.
METHODS: Data for this study was extracted from the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS-2011). In this survey, data was collected using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling approach. The chi-square test and a two-level logistic regression model were used for further analysis.
RESULTS: Data from 2231 children aged 6-59 months were included for analysis. The prevalence of child anemia was noted to be 52.10%. Among these anemic children, 48.40% where from urban environment and 53.90% were from rural areas. The prevalence of mild, moderate and severe anemia among children was 57.10, 41.40 and 1.50% respectively. The two-level logistic regression model revealed that the following factors were associated with childhood anemia: children of anemic mothers (p