Extensive limb lengthening may be indicated in achondroplastic patients who wish to achieve a height within the normal range for their population. However, increasing the magnitude of lengthening is associated with further complications particularly adjacent joint stiffness and fractures. We studied the relationship between the magnitude of femoral lengthening and callus pattern, adjacent joint...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of latency on the development of bone lengthening force and bone mineralization during mandible distraction osteogenesis. METHODS Distraction tensions were investigated at different latency period in 36 rabbits using internal unilateral distractor. Strain gauges were prepared and attached to the distractor to directly assess t...

BACKGROUND The dynamics and effectiveness of new bone formation in the Ilizarov method varies according to different factors. Some of them may result in substantial prolongation of treatment time. The lengthening index (LI), defined as the number of months in a frame necessary to achieve 1 cm lengthening, is the main indicator of bone healing potential. The purpose of the study was to assess th...

Distraction osteogenesis biologically resembles fracture healing with distinctive characteristics notably in the distraction phase of osteogenesis. In the latency phase of bone lengthening, like in the inflammatory phase of fracture repair, interleukines are released and act with growth factors released from platelets in the local haematoma, leading to attraction, proliferation and differentiat...

We carried out a retrospective study to assess the clinical results of lengthening the fourth metatarsal in brachymetatarsia in 153 feet of 106 patients (100 female, six males) using three different surgical techniques. In one group lengthening was performed by one-stage intercalary bone grafting secured by an intramedullary Kirschner-wire (45 feet, 35 patients). In the second group lengthening...

One-stage femoral lengthening is thought to have an unacceptably high complication rate and is not widely practised. We reviewed 17 patients after one-stage lengthening for femoral shortening with associated angular or rotational deformities. Minimal dissection of the bone ends was undertaken. The mean length gain was 4 cm (2 to 7), and the average time to union was 6 months (3 to 10). There we...

Fibular hemimelia is a rare but the most common congenital long bone deficiency, encompassing a broad range of anomalies from isolated fibular hypoplasia up to substantial femoral and tibial shortening with ankle deformity and foot deficiency. Most cases of fibular hemimelia manifest clinically significant leg length discrepancy (LLD) with time that requires adequate correction by bone lengthen...

or lower extremities, that have resulted from various congenital or acquired abnormalities. The issue of limb lengthening was introduced in orthopedic surgery in the year 1950 and has been practiced up to the present time. Although clinical studies have proved the effectiveness of different methods of limb lengthening, there is still need for further research to study regeneration of the bone t...

BACKGROUND Long-term application of an external fixator to treat leg-length discrepancy and short stature often causes complications, such as pin-tract infection or loss of range of motion at the knee or ankle (or both). Prolonged fixator use also interferes with the activities of daily living. To minimize such problems, we have combined intramedullary nailing with external fixation. Using this...