F Launay1, R Younsi, M Pithioux, P Chabrand, G Bollini, J-L Jouve. 1. Timone Children Hospital, Department of Pediatric and Orthopaedic Surgery, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 5, France. franck.launay@ap-hm.fr
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Fracture is one of the main complications following external fixator removal used in cases of progressive lower limb lengthening; rates as high as 50% are found in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine the factors influencing this complication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and eleven cases of lower limb lengthening were performed in 58 patients (40 femurs and 71 tibias). The mean age at surgery was 10.1years old. Lengthening was performed in all cases with an external fixator alone, associated in 39.6% of cases with intramedullary nailing. The patients were divided into three groups according to disease etiology (congenital, achondroplasia and other). The fractures were classified according to the Simpson classification. RESULTS: Twenty fractures were recorded (18%). Sixteen fractures were found in patients with congenital disease, four with achondroplasia and none in the group of other etiologies. The fracture was more often in the femur (27.5%) than in the tibia (12.7%). DISCUSSION: The rate of fracture is influenced by different factors depending on the etiology of disease. In congenital diseases, the fracture rate is higher when there is lengthening of more than 15% of the initial length and a delay between surgery and the beginning of lengthening of less than 7days. In patients with achondroplasia, the influence of a relative percentage of lengthening is less important than in those with congenital disease. However, to avoid fractures, lengthening should not be started in children under the age of nine. Moreover, lengthening should begin at least 7days after the fixator has been placed. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.
INTRODUCTION:Fracture is one of the main complications following external fixator removal used in cases of progressive lower limb lengthening; rates as high as 50% are found in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine the factors influencing this complication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and eleven cases of lower limb lengthening were performed in 58 patients (40 femurs and 71 tibias). The mean age at surgery was 10.1years old. Lengthening was performed in all cases with an external fixator alone, associated in 39.6% of cases with intramedullary nailing. The patients were divided into three groups according to disease etiology (congenital, achondroplasia and other). The fractures were classified according to the Simpson classification. RESULTS: Twenty fractures were recorded (18%). Sixteen fractures were found in patients with congenital disease, four with achondroplasia and none in the group of other etiologies. The fracture was more often in the femur (27.5%) than in the tibia (12.7%). DISCUSSION: The rate of fracture is influenced by different factors depending on the etiology of disease. In congenital diseases, the fracture rate is higher when there is lengthening of more than 15% of the initial length and a delay between surgery and the beginning of lengthening of less than 7days. In patients with achondroplasia, the influence of a relative percentage of lengthening is less important than in those with congenital disease. However, to avoid fractures, lengthening should not be started in children under the age of nine. Moreover, lengthening should begin at least 7days after the fixator has been placed. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.
Authors: Ravi Savarirayan; Penny Ireland; Melita Irving; Dominic Thompson; Inês Alves; Wagner A R Baratela; James Betts; Michael B Bober; Silvio Boero; Jenna Briddell; Jeffrey Campbell; Philippe M Campeau; Patricia Carl-Innig; Moira S Cheung; Martyn Cobourne; Valérie Cormier-Daire; Muriel Deladure-Molla; Mariana Del Pino; Heather Elphick; Virginia Fano; Brigitte Fauroux; Jonathan Gibbins; Mari L Groves; Lars Hagenäs; Therese Hannon; Julie Hoover-Fong; Morrys Kaisermann; Antonio Leiva-Gea; Juan Llerena; William Mackenzie; Kenneth Martin; Fabio Mazzoleni; Sharon McDonnell; Maria Costanza Meazzini; Josef Milerad; Klaus Mohnike; Geert R Mortier; Amaka Offiah; Keiichi Ozono; John A Phillips; Steven Powell; Yosha Prasad; Cathleen Raggio; Pablo Rosselli; Judith Rossiter; Angelo Selicorni; Marco Sessa; Mary Theroux; Matthew Thomas; Laura Trespedi; David Tunkel; Colin Wallis; Michael Wright; Natsuo Yasui; Svein Otto Fredwall Journal: Nat Rev Endocrinol Date: 2021-11-26 Impact factor: 47.564
Authors: Christopher R Paradise; Catalina Galeano-Garces; Daniela Galeano-Garces; Amel Dudakovic; Todd A Milbrandt; Daniel B F Saris; Aaron J Krych; Marcel Karperien; Gabriel B Ferguson; Denis Evseenko; Scott M Riester; Andre J van Wijnen; A Noelle Larson Journal: Gene Date: 2018-05-25 Impact factor: 3.688