[Behavior of soft tissue structures in surgical leg lengthening]

Experimental animal studies and clinical investigations show three processes going on during extremity lengthening with the Ilizarov-method. At first degenerative changes including cell necroses in the muscles, the nerves and the tendons [corrected] occur as well as denervation of muscle fibers resulting in neurogenous muscle atrophies. These alterations are followed by reperative and regenerative processes as well as the reinnervation of the denervated muscle fibers. Secondly histoneogenesis occur which leads to a high increase of tissue-specific cells and a growth of the muscles, tendons and vessels. Therefore tensile-stress is an important factor of tissue growth. Thirdly adaptive processes proceed during leg lengthening. For example the high biosynthetic activity during tissue growth seems to indicate an increase of vasa vasorum.