From: Anand
re: Increasing Height
Feb 2000
Hi there,
I want to go through ilizarov fixator technique for a height gain of
approx. 3 inches.
I would greatly appreciate if you could throw some comments on this
idea and also some place/s near Erie, PA where I can get this done.
Regards,
Anand
E-mail Anand
From: Elaine
re: Congenital Hand deformities
Feb 2000
Hello,
I have a 16 month old granddaughter who is congenitally missing the
bones in her left hand and has only nubbins for fingers.
Her parents are looking at possible bone grafting and then
lengthening using an Ilizarov.
We are looking for anyone who might give us any insight as to what to
expect, surgeon's names, complications, pain, should it be done or
not, any other sites like this that you know of?
Thank you in advance, this is a really nice and very well done site.
Keep up the good work.
Elaine
E-mail Elaine
From: M
re: Maximum Lengthening possible?
Feb 2000
First of all I would like to offer my congratulations for your
excellent Ilizarov site.
I am preparing to have my own Ilizarov fitted (both to the femur and
tibia!) and have been a frequent visiter to your site over the last
few months.
My story is very long and complicated, but to cut a long story short
I have a leg length discrepancy of approx. 12 cms. My orthopaedic
consultant has told me that it is unlikely that anyone would achieve
more than a 7 or 8 cm lengthening.
Obviously this is very disappointing to me as I want to get my legs
as even as possible. My question then is have you heard of cases
where a lengthening of 7/8 cms or more has been achieved?
(My attitude is that medical science is moving so fast that the
boundaries of what is possible are constantly being pushed forward.
However, it would make me worry less to know that other people have
achieved 8+ cms.)
Thanks
M.
e-mail answers via this site to M's
Question
From: M
re: Ankle pain
Feb 2000
Hello Slim,
I have just located your site for the first time and thinks it is
wonderfull, I wish it was around when I was going through the surgery.
Yes that's right I too under went the leg lengthening operation to my
left tibia when I was 12 I am now 23. I am experiencing some side
affects from the operation and I thought I would run them by you to
see if you have any possible solutions.
If you do that would be great if you don't maybe if you could let me
know if any one else has encountered the same effects.
I had to have the operation because the growth plate in my left leg
was growing at a slower rate then the growth plate in my right. So I
under went the operation ten years ago, I know there has probably
been an enormous advancement in the surgery in the past ten years.
About three quarters of the way through the year process I started
getting horrible shooting pains starting from a pin site above my
ankle. The pain was excrutiating and it happened under the slightest
movement of any body part. Sick Kid's in Toronto was phoned and
notified since that is where I underwent the operation but at that
time this had happedned to very few patients and I don't think they
knew exactly how to handle the situation.
The pain got so bad that trying to do my physio was hell I would
scream and cry the whole time and my physiothereapist in Peterborough
thought I was just being a brat who was making the whole thing up so
I could get out of Physio.
Anyways I basically did hardly no physio for about a month, until
finally my mom forced sick kids to see me. After the consultation the
found that I had a pinsite pressing on a nerve that was what was
causing the shooting pains. So the took me back in to surgery and had
to move the pin over.
Because it took so long for a diagnosis I suffered nerve damage in my
ankle and aslo got a case of drop foot, at that time they didn't
imbolize your foot, I think they might now?
So I had to do extra physio to try and get my dorseflextion back my
ankle was basically locked with scar tissue.
Anyways I have managed to get my dorseflextion back about 95 degrees
but nothing were it use to be.
Now in the past couple of years I have been experiencing pain in my
ankle not all the time but lately it has reaccured. I will go to step
on my foot and have ecrutiating pain in my ankle.
Sick Kids will not see me beacuse I am now over the age of eighteen
and there is no ilizarov surgoen in Peterborough.
I went to an orthopedic surgeon and he says that it is either
arthritis or a piece of bone floting around scraping the cartilage.
I could have a scope done and have my ankle cleand out but I don't
really want to go through another operation expecially incase there
is another side affect on my ankle. I am very active person and I
hope you have a suggestion.
I Know this is a long e-mail but thank you for your time feel free to
pass this letter on and if you have any questions for me feel free to
e-mail me at
Amanda
Thanks again and good luck!
Amanda
From: Helen Wase
re: Charcot Foot
March 2000
Dear Slim,
I have been a regular visitor to your site since my Podiatrist (foot surgeon) told me about the Ilizarov method. He gave me a few hints about the process , but no practical information. I live near Syracuse, NY which is in the middle of the state, about 300 miles from NY City. As far as he knows, I may be one of the first in the area to show off my rings.
About 5 years ago, I broke my ankle in 6 places. Both sides of the ankle were involved. Many pins, screws and plates were needed to put me back together.
One year later, I noticed that my foot seemed to be turning left even when my ankle was straight. That little discovery earned me a proceedure called a triple arthrodesis. After 4 months in a cast and 2 months in a brace, my foot looked and felt normal. One year later, the foot once again started to shift to the left.
Once again, a "modified" triple arthrodesis was performed, with 5 months in a cast and 2-3 months in a brace. This past summer I started having some nasty pain in the foot, along with a large lump filling in where my arch HAD been. They discovered that some of the hardwear in my foot had broken off, and little screw heads were floating in my ankle and foot. Surprise, another surgery to remove all but one piece of hardwear. The base of one of the screws was deeply embedded in the bone, so they left it in.
Since August, 1999, I was told that I now have a full blown Charcot Foot. I am a very mild diabetic and one of the doctors said that diabetics are prone to this. So now my foot sugeon has gone for special training in Baltmore, Maryland, in order to save my foot.
I have been a fairly active person. I was a special education teacher and worked with many children who had physical and mental disabilities. Ten years ago, I lost most of my sight due to glaucoma and retinal problems. I even have a big, beautiful, yellow, labrador retreiver guide dog, named Flicker.
I guess my reason for sharing my story is to find out if any other of your readers has had an Ilizarov fixator used for repair of a Charcot foot?
My surgery will probably be in the latter part of April. The doctor said I will be able to walk right away, but I can't imagine walking on the foot, after he has removed part of my heel and a part of the bones on the side of my foot. I expect I'll get a few stares as my guide dog and I take our daily walk.
Any suggestions or links to Charcot repair with the Ilizarov fixator would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for maintaining this site.
You should get a medal of valor!
Sincerely,
Helen Wase
If you wish to drop Helen a line then please e-mail here via this web
site by clicking
Helen Wase's Question.
Thanks.