Shortening of limb, 3 cm gained
A shortening of limb case at the Dr. Donghoon institute (DALRI), Korea, 3 cm of bone lengthened (10 months post-op), with 3 before and after radiographs.
- Category
- Shortening of limb
- Gained
- 3 cm
- Height
- —
- Follow-up
- 10 months
Drag the handle to compare before and after (arrow keys work too). Before and after shortening of limb, case 4232448, image 2, Dr. Donghoon institute (DALRI)
About this case
This patient was treated in the leg length discrepancy group (shortening of limb) at the Dr. Donghoon institute (DALRI) in Seoul.
The record states 3 cm of lengthening but no before/after height, so only the verified figure is shown.
The series on this page contains 3 images, in the order the hospital published them.
Technique and segment
The source record does not name the technique used here. The choice between an external frame, an internal nail, or a hybrid depends on the segment, the target length, and each patient's soft-tissue condition.
Timeline and how to read the radiographs
At the standard rate of about 0.75 mm per day, the 3 cm gained here corresponds to roughly 40 days of distraction — about 1 months — before the consolidation phase begins.
This series was taken 10 months after surgery. The new bone is approaching the density of native bone, and most patients are walking normally by this point.
Daily physiotherapy through the distraction phase is the single strongest predictor of the result: patients who stop stretching run into joint stiffness far more often than into problems with the bone itself.
All images are published by the Dr. Donghoon institute (DALRI) and shown with permission. Individual results vary; these cases are not a guarantee of outcome.
