Dont get one ... just don't.
I remember back to when an infection started in my bone and they had to give me IV drips throughout the night. I literally couldn't sleep for 2 days. It was more pain than you can ever imagine. You have to keep your leg elevated so as to kill off the bad bacteria.
I was in hospital for 4 days. I had mass swelling in my angle. This is why I will always go for internal options over externals. Even on tibia. The 16% risk of deep bone infection is just too high for me. I never want to experience that level of constant pain again. I was literally writhing throughout the night. I was crying for it to stop and the nurses could do nothing but watch me deal with it for 2 whole days .. 48 hours of constant pain.
Baring in mind my pain threshold is reasonably high as about 5 years ago I snapped my arm clean in 2 pieces (to this day I still have nerve damage) - that's another thing, when people say nerve damage is no biggie .. stop listening to this person immediately - annyway .. I had to endure the bones being pulled apart at the scene in order for me to be taken to hospital.
Just don't get a deep bone infection ... take my word for it, it will most likely be worse than any pain you will experience from the lengthening process.
My Experience of a Deep Bone Infection
What about permanent knee pain with internal in tibia?
That is horrible! I am so sorry that happened to you! If you don't mind me asking which doctor did you go to? Or just tell me which doctor you did the surgery with. I was planning on doing LON Next year.
QuoteDont get one ... just don't.
How can we minimize the risk?
I have known 10 patients personally. not 1 person got deep bone infection.
I have done femurs and tibia externally personally. I have not got deep bone infection.
I have read like 50 diaries, no one has ever said they got deep bone infection as far as I know.
out of those 50 diaries those 50 people never once even spoke of other patients who didn't have diaries who got deep bone infection.(yes this is something people would definitely mention on the forum if they were writing a diary, even if it were not their own complication)
we are probably looking at a potential of over 100 cases (easily) with not a single deep bone case reported to this forum for externals.
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your 16% figure is rubbish.
people DO GET SUPERFICIAL SKIN INFECTION. BUT DEEP BONE INFECTION IS INCREDIBLY RARE for externals.
you are misleading people.
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ps. update to my post. I just remembered 1 person who did internals with sarin did report deep bone infection from memory.
I know how this conversation is going to go.
so let me beat you to it.
your probably going to come post the study for 15% when they actually say it ranges from 5% to 15% for deep bone infection.
you probably didn't even read the study so let me post it for you.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10615983
QuoteDistraction osteogenesis is widely used for leg lengthening, but often requires a long period of external fixation which carries risks of pin-track sepsis, malalignment, stiffness of the joint and late fracture of the regenerate. We present the results of 20 cases in which, in an attempt to reduce the rate of complications, a combination of external fixation and intramedullary nailing was used. The mean gain in length was 4.7 cm (2 to 8.6). The mean time of external fixation was 20 days per centimetre gain in length. All distracted segments healed spontaneously without refracture or malalignment. There were three cases of deep infection, two of which occurred in patients who had had previous open fractures of the bone which was being lengthened. All resolved with appropriate treatment. This method allows early rehabilitation, with a rapid return of knee movement. There is a lower rate of complications than occurs when external fixation is used on its own. The time of external fixation is shorter than in other methods of leg lengthening. The high risk of infection calls for caution.
special emphasis on the quotes which actually tell you why they developed deep bone infection. people are to lazy to even read the abstract these days.
QuoteThe mean time of external fixation was 20 days per centimetre gain in length. All distracted segments healed spontaneously without refracture or malalignment. There were three cases of deep infection, two of which occurred in patients who had had previous open fractures of the bone which was being lengthened.
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number 1: this 3 patients of 20 which gives the 15% is actually 3 patients which is a joke. not a big enough sample size.
number 2: 2 of the ridiculously small sample size of 3 deep bone infection patients already had a previously open fracture.
my main point is that this entire thread is actually telling people something which is not true and I don't want to see a bunch of people freak out over deep bone infection when in reality its just a fantasy your dreaming up as a major complication when it simply doesn't happen like that.
I haven't done a surgery .. I just know what one feels like due to unfortunate circumstances. It is some of the worst pain imaginable. The IV drips make you extremely drowsy too
OP hasn't even done LL yet...this is just him going on about an experience of his...Which BTW OP I'd be straightforward with the doctor you choose to have the operation with..that's some important .
quote from Razorfin:
QuoteThis is why I will always go for internal options over externals. Even on tibia. The 16% risk of deep bone infection is just too high for me. I never want to experience that level of constant pain again.
I know he hasn't done surgery yet.
but his post is spreading misinformation. I never said anything to oppose his statement that deep bone infection is painful.
MRBones,
Your response was extremely immature, my figures came from consulting with an orthopedic surgeon. You would do well to actually gather all information regarding my position before you try to bring it down. I'm not saying he isn't wrong, but when you hear from a qualified professional as opposed to an angry person on the internet. Well, i'm sure you can guess who I will be more likely to believe.
It might have been that he heard wrong and considered addition procedures in that figure .. or that he may have considered deep bone infection from at different levels of severity in the figure. I don't know.
Please don't post a study with a sample size of 20 and consider it genuinely important. I'm not going to take that seriously.
I have heard that deep bone infection is rare. I would hope so in today's age. However you have never experienced a deep bone infection, I have. I am just posting what my personal experience is with enduring this kind of pain so to shed some light on an unlikely complication.
You would do well to hold-fire when approaching a controversial topic until you have all the facts and have formed a 'proper' case for your point. I know that as a 20 year old ... may I ask how old are you?
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