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Long-Term Results of Surgery for Forearm Deformities in Patients with Multiple Cartilaginous Exostoses

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Hospital Organization Osaka Minami Medical Center, 2-1 Kidohigashi, Kawachinagano, Osaka 586-8521, Japan. E-mail address for S. Akita: akita{at}eos.ocn.ne.jp
² Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rinku General Medical Center, 2-23 Rinku Orai-kita, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8577, Japan
⁴ Masada Orthopaedic Rheumatology Clinic, 779-2 Nagasone, Sakai, Osaka 591-8025, Japan

Investigation performed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka Minami Medical Center, Osaka, Japan

Disclosure: The authors did not receive any outside funding or grants in support of their research for or preparation of this work. Neither they nor a member of their immediate families received payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, division, center, clinical practice, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors, or a member of their immediate families, are affiliated or associated.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed twenty-three patients (thirty-one forearms) after a mean duration of follow-up of nearly thirteen years. The mean age at the time of the initial procedure was eleven years. The patients underwent a variety of surgical procedures, including excision of exostoses; corrective procedures (lengthening of the radius or ulna and/or corrective osteotomy of the radius and/or ulna) and open reduction or excision of a dislocated radial head. Clinical evaluation involved the assessment of pain, activities of daily living, the cosmetic outcome, and the ranges of motion of the wrist, forearm, and elbow. The radiographic parameters that were assessed were ulnar variance, the radial articular angle, and carpal slip.

Results: Four patients had mild pain, and five patients had mild restriction of daily activities at the time of follow-up. Eight patients stated that the appearance of the forearm was unsatisfactory. Radiographic parameters (ulnar variance, radial articular angle, carpal slip) were initially improved; however, at the time of the final follow-up visit, the deformities had again progressed and showed no significant improvement. The only procedure that was associated with complications was ulnar lengthening. Complications included nonunion (three forearms), fracture of callus at the site of lengthening (two forearms), and temporary radial nerve paresis following an ulnar distraction osteotomy (one forearm). Excision of exostoses significantly improved the range of pronation (p = 0.036).

Conclusions: In our patients with multiple cartilaginous exostoses, corrective osteotomy and/or lengthening of forearm bones was not beneficial. The most beneficial procedure was excision of exostoses. Reasonable indications for forearm surgery in these patients are (1) to improve forearm rotation and (2) to improve the appearance.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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