Achondroplasia limb lengthening surgery

Achondroplasia is a common condition treated using the Ilizarov technique. At our center, we initiate the lengthening process for patients aged 5 years and above. This age criterion ensures that patients can comprehend and actively participate in the lengthening procedure, fostering cooperation with the physical therapists and the medical team. Typically, children with achondroplasia have an excess of soft tissue, leading to relatively rare limitations in ankle and knee joint mobility following the lengthening procedure. Patients with achondroplasia exhibit excellent bone formation, resulting in a remarkable 10 to 15 cm increase in length with each step of the lengthening process. In the majority of cases, we conduct cross-lateral tibia/femur lengthening. After two phases of lengthening, patients usually experience a height increase of 20 to 30 cm. Subsequent to leg lengthening, we proceed with simultaneous humerus lengthening. The technique employed is based on the patient's preference, which may involve pure external fixation or a combination of a frame and nails, utilizing the LON or LATN technique.