Genu recurvatum congenitum.

This paper reports thirty-two new cases of congenital genu recurvatum or ‘ ‘ back-knee,” and will discuss the etiology and methods of treatment. The incidence of the deformity is uncertain. Steindler (1924) asserted that it was ninety times less common than congenital dislocation of the hip, and Jones and Lovett (1923) described it as “ distinctly rare.” Yet it is said to be sufficiently common in negro communities as not to be worthy of report. The first report of the deformity was said by Potel (1897) to have been made by a Swiss clinician, Chatelain, in 1822, but Drehmann (1900) attributed the earliest description to Von Malacarne. Neither description has been traced. Numerous case reports were published in