title: Treatment of complex limb deformities in children with the Ilizarov technique.
abstract: Twenty-nine children underwent 36 Ilizarov procedures for a variety of limb deformities. We present the results in 11 patients, six with leg length discrepancies and five with achondroplasia, who underwent lengthening procedures using the Ilizarov method. Lengthening was accomplished in 15 of the 16 procedures (93%). Average increase in femur length was 10 cm (32%), in tibial length 7.5 cm (30%), in humerus length 11 cm (40%). Eleven complications occurred. The most common were pin tract infections (4), joint contractures (2), transient nerve injury (4), premature consolidation (5), and three fractures of the regenerated bone. The complication rate was as high as in other methods, but with the Ilizarov apparatus longer segments of bone were lengthened and more complex deformities were treated. The number of complications were lessened as experience was gained.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Orthopedic Department, Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopedic Institute, New York, NY 10003.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strongwater
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Golyakhovsky
mesh_terms: D000130:Achondroplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D001852:Bone Lengthening / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016267:External Fixators; D005121:Extremities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007870:Leg Length Inequality / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography