Bilateral distal tibio-fibular synostosis: a case of morphological deformity in cadaveric remains of black ethnicity at the department of anatomy, equator University of Science and Technology

Abstract

Tibial fibular synostosis is a rare congenital or acquired abnormality with most cases identified coincidentally upon clinical presentation.  Distal tibio-fibular synostosis are reported to be secondary to traumatic events; and whereas Unilateral distal Tibial fibular synostosis  have been widely documented, bilateral occurrences are rare among persons of black ethnicity. The objective of this report is to  elaborate a rare occurrence of bilateral distal tibial fibular synostosis incidentally found during a bone preparation procedure in a gross  anatomy laboratory. This was a distally located bone fusion with exostoses, involving the anterior, medial and posterior surfaces of the tibial-fibular bones. The causative factor of this deformity in our case couldn’t be ascertained since this was a cadaveric incidental finding  with no life or clinical history to relate to. However with distal fusions and visible exostoses, we probably infer that this was synostosis of osteochondromatic origin. Permission to access the case specimens and present this report was sought and granted by the University  Research and Ethics committee of Equator University of science and technology.