LEG LENGTHENING IN OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA

Use of intramedullary extending rods in children with osteogenesis imp erfecta (01) can reduce the incidence of further fractures, prevent re currence of deformity, and allow many children to become independently mobile. Recurrent fractures and epiphyseal injuries that occur before the extending rods are inserted frequently lead to unequal leg length s. In normal patients, surgical correction of leg length discrepancy i s advocated for deformities >3 cm, but these techniques have not been used in OI. Using DeBastiani's method, we successfully lengthened thre e femoral and one tibial segment in three patients with OI. In two seg ments, extending intramedullary rods were left in situ and did not aff ect the lengthening process. In the remaining two segments, the rods w ere removed before lengthening was performed and were replaced after t he regenerate bone was recanalized. Full correction of deformity was a chieved, and all patients are now independently mobile. We believe tha t current limb lengthening techniques can be used in patients with OI.