Specialty rheumatology ICD-9-CM 736.79
ICDO = | ICD-10 M21.0 | |
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In orthopedics, a valgus deformity is a condition in which the bone segment distal to a joint is angled outward, away from the midline of the body, as in the case of the knees, "Knock-kneed". The opposite deformation, where the twist is toward the center of the body, is called varus. Common causes of valgus knee in adults include arthritis of the knee and trauma.
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Terminology
Valgus is a term for outward angulation of the distal segment of a bone or joint. The opposite condition is called Varus, which is a medial deviation of the distal bone.The terms varus and valgus always refer to the direction that the distal segment of the joint points. For a discussion of the etymology of these words, see the entry under varus.
Knee arthritis with valgus knee
Rheumatoid knee commonly presents as valgus knee. Osteoarthritis knee may also sometimes present with valgus deformity though varus deformity is common. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to correct valgus deformity is surgically difficult and requires specialized implants called constrained condylar knees.