Orthopaedic implications of physeal arrest following meningococcal septicaemia

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-46).Thirteen patients seen at Red Cross Children's and Maitland Cottage hospitals have under gone complex treatment for the significant deformities caused by meningococcal septicaemia. These patients underwent 62 surgical procedures between them. These procedures were directed at the treatment of sequelae of growth arrest alone and excluded amputations, contracture releases, skin grafts and flaps. The extent of the surgical problems caused by this disease brought about the realisation that a thorough review of the literature and follow up of these patients was required. This would hopefully be of use in assessing the outcomes of various surgical treatment options employed and in developing guidelines for the future management of physeal arrest in these patients