For patients who are Ilizarov candidates, undergoing this extensive surgical and rehabilitative procedure may mean the difference between living with a deformity or having that deformity corrected.
A few examples of people who have benefited from the Ilizarov procedure include:
- A young girl born with one leg four inches shorter than the other
- A car accident victim whose leg would otherwise be amputated
- A cancer patient whose arm is deteriorated by a tumor
The Ilizarov method provides a way to lengthen, angulate or rotate the position of a bone to correct a deformed limb. The method can be used to correct:
- Congenital deformities, such as club foot, limb-length discrepancies or false joints
- Traumatic injuries, such as malunited fractures, stiff joints or fractures with severe soft-tissue loss
- Bone abscesses (osteomyelitis) caused by infections or tumors
University Medical Center, which offers comprehensive orthopedic surgical treatments for congenital and acquired deformities, has taken a leadership role in making the Ilizarov method available to patients living in the Southwestern United States.
The Ilizarov Procedure
A metal frame that encircles the limb is attached to the underlying bone by pins inserted through the bone and limb. The external rings are linked to each other by threaded rods and hinges that allow the patient and medical team to move and position the bones.
The device lengthens the bone and stimulates cells to regenerate, thus creating new bone that is as strong as the original bone.
Bones can be moved or stretched about one millimeter per day, averaging about one inch per month. For every month that the Ilizarov device is used to move the bone, the patient must wear it for an additional two months to allow the bone to strengthen. For example, a patient, whose bones need to be stretched three inches, would wear the device for nine months. Once the device is removed, a cast is used to further strengthen the bone.
Extensive physical therapy is used before and during this entire process and may continue for several months afterward in order to make the limb as fully functional as possible.
Depending on the case, the entire process may require several months to two years to complete.