is there an amount of ll you can do without damaging the soft tissues? Like how much can they stretch before incurring damage? 1cm or something? Obviously no one would do the surgery for such a small amount but I'm just curious.
Limb lengthening is a process that requires effort and dedication.
First of all, bone tissue is mechanically lengthened at a very slow rate (0.75 to 1mm per day in small increments) to allow soft tissues to stretch and regenerate. We call this process distraction histiogenesis.
In addition, physical therapy is needed to allow stretching of muscles and soft tissue and prevent joint contracture. The most flexible you are at baseline, the more length you can obtain before contractures start appearing. Bracing at night and during intermittent periods in the day also help soft tissue adaptation.
Functionally, one can lengthen 15 to 20% of the initial bone length safely.
If your question pertains to how much length can one get acutely, meaning immediately, the answer is: not a lot. The limit is what the blood vessels and nerve can tolerate. This depends on the location it is done. we would not recommend much more than a few milimeters .
I hope this helps!
T
Dr. Michael J. Assayag, MD. FRCSC
Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Surgeon
International Center for Limb Lengthening of Baltimore
www.limblength.org
[email protected]
@bonelengthening on Instagram
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