Complications of tibial osteotomies in children with comorbidities

Tibial osteotomies in children have been associated with a number of complications. A retrospective review of 116 children who had 129 tibial osteotomies was performed to assess these complications at our institution. Results showed that there were 35 cases of wound problems, 6 cases of recurrence/reoperation, 5 cases of delayed union, 2 cases with transient peroneal nerve palsy, 1 case of nonunion, and 1 case of mal-union. Patients having certain comorbidities had a higher frequency of complications. There were no significant differences between the location of the tibial osteotomy (proximal or distal) and the incidence of complication. External fixation was associated with a lower incidence of complications than the use of pins and casting. Although our results demonstrate an overall low complication rate, there is a significant association between complications and comorbid conditions. This highlights the need to recognize comorbidities preoperatively and the potential of increased postoperative complications.