Vertebrodiatasis experimental lengthening of the juvenile goat spine

The purpose of this study is to describe the biology of spinal lengthening (vertebrodiatasis) in a juvenile goat model. A small Orthofix dynamic fixator was affixed to 5.5 mm pedicular halfpins placed bilaterally at T12, L1, L5 and L6 in six juvenile goats. Distraction was performed across vertebral endplates between L1 and L5. Uninstrumented twins served as controls. Two pairs of animals were deleted due to anesthetic complications. Lumbar lengthening was successful in 3 animals resulting in an increase in length of up to 696% from L1 to L5 compared to the growth rate of the controls (mean 4.3 cm vs. mean .56 cm, respectively). Lengthening of the spinal cord was not associated with brain stem migration or spinal cord injury.