Bone elongation using monolateral external fixation: a practical guide

In the literature, we can find many articles that describe in detail specific complex procedures related to the limb reconstruction. However, the general information on the biological and mechanical bases of callotasis is out of date, and the surgeons must relate to works dating from the early 1980s. These articles also come from a period in which the callotasis technique was being developed and, therefore, incur in discrepancies depending on the year they were written or the school of the author. This paper provides a general and summarised overview of the theoretical and practical aspects interesting to a surgeon that needs clear information on the bone elongations performed with the help of a monolateral external fixator.