LIMB LENGTHENING IN CHILDREN WITH ACHONDROPLASIA - DIFFERENCES BASED ON GENDER

Twelve achondroplastic dwarfs underwent serial limb lengthening during childhood. All had repeated bilateral simultaneous elongation of thei r lower limbs, The height of these patients was plotted on growth curv es for children with achondroplasia. The end results were evaluated af ter all patients reached skeletal maturity. Growth acceleration was se en in male patients with achondroplasia, but no such effect was seen i n females, The female patients lost several centimeters as calculated from their predicted final height based on their preoperative growth c urve and the centimeters gained by mechanical distraction, The authors ' recommendation is to start limb elongation of male patients with ach ondroplasia at the age of 8 years or older, but to delay limb lengthen ing in female patients with achondroplasia until approximately 15 year s of age to allow for maximal skeletal growth.