Currently, Limb Lengthening Surgery is applied in 4 groups of patients. First two of these groups are patients with dwarfism and structural short stature. The third group consists of patients who want this surgery for cosmetical reasons. In groups that have structural short stature and cosmetical issues, this surgery is performed for psychosocial and socio-cultural reasons, enviromental factors and aesthetic needs of patients instead of contributing patient’s daily life. If we compare these groups, patients with dwarfism is the shortest group and also the group that needs this surgery the most, whereas the group that has structural short stature are people called short by the society. When it comes to cosmetical group, they have aesthetic expectations no matter how tall they are. The fourth group consists of patients who have a short stature related to non-union or malunion in their extremity after trauma.

 

In Limb Lenghtening Surgery modern techniques are used no matter on which group surgery is performed. The oldest and most classical technique is “Lenghtening Tecnique with Circular Fixation Apparatus”. This apparatus is also called Ilizarov Apparatus that is named after its inventor.

A short while after Ilizarov apparatus is commonly used, computer technology started to being used in lenghtening surgery in order to increase sensitivity and calibration. After these two technology combined, new devices are called computer-assisted fixators. As an image these devices look like Ilizarov apparatus, but it can do more sensitive calculations in lenghtening thanks to its technology that is also used in simulation platform for airplanes and space-shuttles.

From past to present, the goal is to decrease the time of carrying both Ilizarov apparatus and computer-assisted fixators on extremities. In order to do that another technique that we call combined technique is performed in limb lenghtening. In this technique intramedullary nail is placed in bone and monolateral fixator is placed out of bone. After this, fixator is removed right after process of bone lenghtening is done. By this, time of having fixator on body decreases and patient’s comfort increases.

In this regard, the most important innovation is the intramedullary nails that placed in bone, gets taller on its own and doesn’t need any fixators. These nails are innovated by adding role of getting taller on its own to orthopedical nails that formerly used in treatment of fractures. This nails provide a more comfort to patient because of having no part out of the bone and being completely in the bone. However this method of treatment is much more expensive and also needs more detailed preparation and more experience.