[Lengthening of lower limbs--implantable therapeutic devices in distraction osteogenesis]

Severe anisomelia and stunting of the lower limbs are treated with distraction osteogenesis, which involves osteotomy of the femur and tibia and distraction of bone ends by using a device designed for this purpose. Sufficiently slow distraction induces bone growth into the generated gap, whereby the limb can be lengthened by up to 15 cm at a time. Attempts have been made to diminish the disadvantages associated with commonly utilized external distraction devices by using completely implantable lengthening devices, which have been shown to result in an at least equal treatment outcome.