Humerus Varus in a Subadult Skeleton from the Medieval Graveyard of La Madeleine (Orleans, France)

The skeleton of a subadult individual from the medieval graveyard of La Madeleine (Orleans, France) exhibits varus deformity of its right humerus. The affected bone is shortened, the diaphysis is angulated and the head is grossly deformed. The skeleton is otherwise normal. Several diagnoses are debated, including mucopolysaccharidoses, thalassemia, infection and trauma, the latter being preferred. The severity of the bone changes suggests that the growth disturbance occurred early in the life of the individual. We therefore suppose that the causative trauma occurred at the time of birth or during the early postnatal period. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.