title: [Combined external skeletal fixation instrumentation with locked intramedullary nailing for tibia lengthening].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To shorten the time of external skeletal fixation on legs, and enhance quality of limb lengthening, avoid complications of shortening, bending, twisting and etc.
  
  
  METHODS
  Insert pin transcortical to attack external skeletal fixation simultaneously, put un-reaming locked intramedullary nail (do not insert distal locked screw) into endosteum of lengthening bone. After the legs achieved predetermined length, insert distal locked screw and then remove external skeletal fixation, locked intramedullary nail, then maintain consolidation of rehabilitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group lengthened legs for 412 cases. The range of lengthening was 3 to 18 cm. Mean length was 7.6 cm. The mean time for needed external skeletal fixation was 20 d/cm. The mean time of osteogenesis was 56 d/cm. For complications, there were 3 tibias ununion cases and 1 varus ankle. All cases were treated undergoing twice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method reduces the time for needed external skeletal fixation visibly, enhances the quality of limb lengthening remarkably, prevents complications of shortening new bone, deformity, bending and re-fracture which do not effect the healing time. This is a new choice of limb lengthening.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of External Skeletal Fixation Technology, Beijing 100039, China. xiahetao@263.net.cn
authors.forename: He-tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ai-min
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xian-zheng
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Si-he
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yi-lian
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Bao-zhong
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen-yuan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001852:Bone Lengthening / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001858:Bone Nails; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D018889:Ilizarov Technique / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome