BIFOCAL BONE LENGTHENING FOR SEVERE POST-TRAUMATIC SHORTENING OF THE FEMUR USING ILIZAROV SYSTEM IN A HYBRID FASHION: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Limb length discrepancy portends major challenge to a person’s function and the treating surgeon.. A 44 year old male patient presented with 15.5cm shortening of the femur from, infected non-union of the femur following injury sustained from road traffic collision 10 years earlier. He had multiple failed operative fracture fixation complicated by post operative infection causing significant morbidity and loss of job from prolonged immobilisation. The infected non-union and the limb length discrepancy were successfully treated by infection control and limb lengthening by bifocal callotaxis using the Ilizarov method in a hybrid fashion over a period of 105 days. The patient regained weight bearing on the affected limb after 7 months.

Key Words: Severe Limb Length Discrepancy, Infected Non-Union, Bifocal Callotaxis, Hybrid Fixation, Shortened Lengthening Time