Bilateral genu varus (bowlegs) at early childhood in Mosul

Background: Genu varus deformity (bowlegs) is deviation of leg distal to knee toward midline, it is very common in early childhood. No data is available in apparently healthy Iraqi children. Objective: To identify the common causes of genu varus, and to evaluate its correction. Patients and methods: it is case series study; two hundred and thirteen children with bilateral genu varus deformities were included from Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic, Aljumhoori Teaching Hospital. The intercondylar distance was measured every 6 months during the period of follow-up which ranged between 26 years. Results: Physiological genu varus was the commonest cause, 153 children (71.8%), their mean intercondylar distance was 3.42 ± 0.93, corrected spontaneously within two years. Nutritional rickets was the second cause in 58 patients (27.2%), their mean intercondylar distance was 4.22 ± 0.92 corrected spontaneously with medical treatment within 4 years. Two patients had vitamin D resistant rickets (hypophosphataemia), their deformities increased with growth. Conclusion: The most common cause of bilateral genu varus was physiological, usually corrected spontaneously within two years. Nutritional rickets was the second cause which leads to more severe genu varus, and delay its correction.