RESULTS OF FEMORAL LENGTHENING USING THE ILIZAROV TECHNIQUE

We report the results of 36 femoral lengthenings in 30 consecutive pat ients using the Ilizarov technique. Patient age at surgery in 19 boys and 11 girls averaged 13.4 years (range, 5-18). Minimum follow-up was 2 years. The etiology of femoral shortening was congenital in 21 femor a and acquired in 15. Twelve femora underwent concomitant correction o f associated angular deformities during treatment. The average lengthe ning was 8.3 cm (range; 3.5-12 cm) with a treatment time of 6.4 months (range, 2.5-12). The mean number of surgeries per patient was 2.3, in cluding apparatus application and removal. Lengthening index (months o f treatment/centimeter lengthening) was 0.74. Complications included p remature consolidation in four patients, malunion of > 10 degrees in t wo patients, and residual limb length inequality (< 2 cm) in two. Ther e were two instances of knee dislocation. No osteomyelitis, ring seque stra, neurologic or vascular compromise, compartment syndrome, hyperte nsion, or hip or knee dislocations occurred. Psychological problems ne cessitated cessation of lengthening in two patients. These results sho w a significant improvement over previous reports of earlier technique s of femoral lengthening in terms of greater lengthening, simultaneous deformity correction, and fewer major complications.