title: Radiographic early to midterm results of distraction osteogenesis in radial longitudinal deficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze early to midterm radiographic results after forearm lengthening in children with radial longitudinal deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with radial longitudinal deficiency undergoing distraction osteogenesis with an Ilizarov device. We retrospectively reviewed 8 lengthening procedures in 6 children with respect to distraction details and assessed anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the hand and forearm of the preoperative and postoperative follow-up investigations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age at time of ulna lengthening was 9.9 years (range, 6.3-14.0 y). The mean follow-up period was 4.7 years (range, 1.0-8.5 y). Mean lengthening of the ulna was 7.0 cm (range, 3.5-8.7 cm), and the mean length gain of the ulna compared with its preoperative length was 75% (range, 42% to 103%). The mean ulna bowing was 25° preoperatively (range, 7° to 42°), 6° after forearm distraction (range, 0° to 14°), and 17° at latest follow-up (range, 0° to 45°). The mean hand-forearm angle was 25° of radial deviation preoperatively (range, 15° ulnar to 60° radial deviation), 11° of radial deviation after distraction (range, 0° to 41°), and 23° at latest follow-up (range, 0° to 45°). We encountered 2 major complications: 1 ulna fracture after removal of the Ilizarov device and 1 insufficient bone regenerate during lengthening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We achieved both deformity correction and improvement of limb length after distraction osteogenesis with an Ilizarov device. However, some of the deformity-in particular, ulnar bowing and radial deviation of the hand-recurred at midterm follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic Hospital Speising, Vienna, Austria. sebastian.farr@oss.at
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farr
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petje
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sadoghi
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ganger
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Girsch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000295:instrumentation; D011859:Radiography; D011884:Radius / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome