| Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction
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| | Children and adults can be appropriate
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| Techniques
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| | candidates for the procedure. Children
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| 16th November 2006
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| | with congenital deformities such as
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| Author: Chris Maylor
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| | fibular hemimelia, congenital short femur
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| Limb lengthening and reconstruction
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| | and hemiatrophy will often have unequal
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| techniques can be used to replace missing
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| | leg length and this may be associated
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| bone and lengthen and/ or straighten
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| | with deformity. Many adults have had this
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| deformed bone segments. The procedures
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| | condition since childhood and have
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| may be performed on both children and
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| | developed back pain and hip arthritis
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| adults who have limb length discrepancies
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| | from the leg length discrepancy. Growth
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| due to birth defects, diseases or
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| | plate fractures and bone infections in
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| injuries. The limb lengthening and
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| | children can cause stunting of growth
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| deformity correction process works on the
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| | that results in discrepancy.
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| principle of distraction osteogenesis.
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| | Following trauma, bones can heal in a
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| This is a revolutionary concept that
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| | shortened and deformed position
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| reverses the long-held belief that bone
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| | (mal-union). Sometimes the bone can even
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| cannot be regenerated. In this process, a
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| | remain unhealed (non-union). Limb
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| bone that has been cut during surgery can
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| | lengthening procedures address all of
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| be gradually distracted (pulled apart),
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| | these issues. We have been able to
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| leading to new bone formation
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| | successfully correct large deformities
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| (osteogenesis) at the site of the
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| | and equalize limbs with discrepancies of
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| lengthening. In this way, bone segments
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| | several inches. A segment of bone can be
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| can be lengthened by 15 to 100 percent of
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| | missing after a bone tumor, bone
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| their original length. We use a variety
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| | infection or severe fracture. We can
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| of techniques, including the use of
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| | transport new bone to fill in this
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| monolateral (one-sided) and circular
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| | defect.
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| external fixation devices, to correct
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| | Short stature can be very disabling in
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| angular deformities as well as limb
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| | patients with dwarfism, for example. We
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| length discrepancies. With these
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| | can lengthen both legs simultaneously to
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| procedures, we provide opportunities for
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| | increase stature. We have been able to
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| individuals who previously had no
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| | lengthen achondroplastic dwarf patients
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| treatment alternatives.
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| | 12 inches in the legs and five inches in
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| The regenerated bone is normal and does
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| | the arms. This allows them to function
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| not wear out. The muscles, nerves and
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| | more independently and be able to reach
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| blood vessels grow in response to the
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| | the telephone, toilet and gas pedal, for
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| slow stretch like they do during a growth
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| | example.
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| spurt or in pregnancy. The actual
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| | Young adult patients with leg deformities
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| procedure is minimally invasive and
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| | are at risk for developing arthritis as a
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| requires only one or two nights in the
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| | result of their malalignment. These same
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| hospital. Patients aren't in much pain
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| | techniques can be used to correct severe
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| since the distraction is so gradual and
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| | deformities safely and avert the need for
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| patients can continue to walk during the
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| | joint replacement.
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| treatment.
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