What is fibula hemimelia?
Fibula hemimelia refers to the absence of all or part of the fibula bone in the leg. In this case, the child is born with a defect or absence of that bone.
What causes fibula hemimelia
Doctors and scientists do not know the exact cause of fibula hemimelia.
The parents of the child with fibula hemimelia are not to blame for any of this.
Signs of fibula hemimelia
- Short leg. The affected leg is shorter than the normal leg. There is a variation in how short the leg can be.
- Absence of some toes. The toes may be less than five.
- Deformity of the foot. The foot could have an appearance of clubfoot or a very severe flat foot.
- Bowing of the leg. The leg commonly bows inwards and to the front. This is called anteromedial bowing.
Do you need to see a paediatric orthopedic surgeon?
Investigation for fibula hemimelia
Investigations Before birth
A prenatal ultrasound can be done to assess the length of the bones. This is done while the mother is still pregnant.
Investigations After birth
An xrays of the lower limbs is done to assess and confirm the presence of deformity.
Treatment of fibula hemimelia
The options available are based on the severity of the deformity.
- Bone lengthening
Bone lengthening surgery is done to elongate a shorter bone to the desired length.
- Epiphysiodesis
Epiphysiodesis is done to stop the bone from growing longer by removing or killing off the cells in the growth plate.
- Hemiepiphysiodesis.
Hemiepiphysiodesis is done to correct angular deformities like genu valgum and genu varum.
- Prosthesis use
A prosthesis is used in place of a deformed leg or if an amputation is done.
- Amputation
If reconstruction surgery is not an option, then an amputation is done followed by the use of a prosthesis.
Life expectancy of people with fibula hemimelia
Individuals with fibula hemimelia have the same life expectancy as other normal individuals.
In conclusion, fibula hemimelia is a condition characterized by a short or absent fibula. Diagnosis can be made before or after birth. There is an array of treatments that can be done based on the severity of the deformity of the leg.
