Correction of deformity and shortening due to post traumatic epiphyseal arrest by distraction osteogenesis

Growth arrest in the epiphyseal plate during childhood often causes both periarticular deformities and limb length discrepancy, leading to compartmental osteoarthrosis and gait disturbance or spinal disorders, respectively. Distraction osteogenesis using external fixators with hinge systems appears to be useful for the simultaneous correction of deformity and shortening. In this paper, we evaluated cases of lower limbs with periarticular deformities and limb length discrepancy after epiphyseal plate injury that has been treated by distraction osteogenesis using external fixators. This is the first report regarding the outcomes of distraction osteogenesis for a group of patients having deformity and limb length discrepancy due to traumatic arrest of the physis. Successful outcomes may promise the use of this method as the first choice for the treatment of growth disorders after the arrest of the epiphyseal plate in the lower limbs. However, treatment under 20 years of age may provide a better outcome with a lower incidence of complications.