ILIZAROV DISTRACTION-LENGTHENING IN CONGENITAL-ANOMALIES OF THE UPPER-LIMB

Nine patients under,vent Ilizarov distraction-lengthening for congenit al anomalies. All were late cases and had undergone other procedures. In five radial club hand patients with very short forearms, we achieve d an average 5.8 cm increase in length with each distraction cycle. In two patients with symbrachydactyly of the cleft hand type, we achieve d pinch grip between a radial and an ulnar digit by lengthening the sh ort ray. Another case of the monodactyly type in which me tried to len gthen three transplanted proximal toe phalanges ended in failure, A so ft tissue distraction was attempted in a case of camptodactyly but fai led. We report the problems we encountered and suggest some solutions.