Limb Lengthening Surgery

Limb lengthening surgery is a procedure that gradually makes an arm or leg bone longer. This procedure treats skeletal dysplasia, bone growth issues and bone length differences.

What is limb lengthening surgery?

Limb lengthening surgery is a procedure that can make an arm or leg bone longer. Surgeons may perform limb lengthening surgery on the:

• 👉 Humerus (upper arm bone).
• 👉 Radius/ulna (forearm bones).
• 👉 Femur (thigh bone).
• 👉 Tibia (shin bone).

What does limb lengthening surgery treat?

Limb lengthening surgery treats discrepancies (differences) in the length of arms or legs. It can also treat some conditions that cause bone growth irregularities or shorter bone length. Your provider may recommend limb lengthening surgery if you have:

• 👉 Benign bone tumor on a growth plate.
• 👉 Cerebral palsy.
• 👉 Congenital femoral deficiency, a birth condition that causes one femur to be shorter than the other.
• 👉 Hemihypertrophy, a rare condition that causes one side of the body to grow more than the other.
• 👉 Skeletal dysplasia, inherited conditions that interfere with bone growth, such as dwarfism.
• 👉 Growth plate fractures.
• 👉 Osteomyelitis.