Varus deformity
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
| Varus deformity Classification and external resources | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Varus Deformity MRI and photograph | |
| ICD-10 | M21.1 |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Phone:617-525-6884
Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2] Phone:617-525-7431
Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [3] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Overview
In orthopedics, a varus deformity is a term for the inward angulation of the distal segment of a bone or joint. The opposite of varus is called valgus.
The terms varus and valgus always refer to the direction that the distal segment of the joint points.
For example, in a VARUS deformity of the knee, the distal part of the leg below the knee is deviated inward, resulting in a bowlegged appearance. Conversely, a valgus deformity at the knee results in a knock-kneed appearance, with the distal part of the leg deviated outward.
Terminology
The terminology is made confusing by the etymology of these words.
- In Latin, valgus actually means "knock-kneed" and varus means "bowlegged."
- In a knock-kneed person, the femur is deviated inward in relation to the hip, so the term varus is correctly applied for the hip, as it refers to the distal segment being angled inward.
- But in the same knock-kneed person, the opposite situation is found at the knee, with the distal segment now being deviated outward, so the term valgus is used for the knee.
- It is correct for a knock-kneed deformity to be called both a varus deformity at the hip/femur and a valgus deformity at the knee/tibia, although the common terminology is to refer to it as genu valgum.
If this is confusing, just remember that "varus = inward" and "valgus = outward" and always refers to the direction that the distal part of the joint points.
When the terminology specifies a bone rather than a joint, the bone is taken to be the distal segment of a joint. Thus, a varus deformity of the tibia refers to the femur/tibia joint (the knee) and not the ankle joint.
Examples
- Hip: coxa vara — the angle between the ball and the shaft of the femur is reduced, resulting in a limp.
- Knee: genu varum (from Latin genu = knee) — the tibia is turned inward in relation to the femur, resulting in a bowlegged deformity.
- Ankle: talipes varus (from Latin talus = ankle and pes = foot) — inward turning of the heel, resulting in clubfoot with the person walking on the outer part of the foot.
- Toe: hallux varus (Latin hallux = big toe) — inward deviation of the big toe away from the second toe.
- Elbows: cubitus varus (Latin cubitus = elbow) — turned inward elbows
See also
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
