The prevention and correction of the elbow contractures during humerus lengthening in patients with achondroplasia

The extent of movements in the upper limb joints before surgery, in the process of humerus lengthening and in the long-term periods after the lengthening was studied in a group of 108 patients with achondroplasia at the age of 8-16 years, who were subjected to simultaneous lengthening of both humeri using the technique of distraction osteosynthesis (216 segments). The authors proposed a device with the help of which a patient could train his elbow in an active-and-passive way throughout the osteosynthesis period, thereby reducing the rehabilitative period significantly and improving the final anatomic-and-functional outcome of treatment.