Discrepancy of low members' length in pediatrics. Treatment with external fixer RALCA

Abstract

We carried out a descriptive-observational study on the usage of the external fixer RALCA in children older than 6 years old diagnosed with discrepancy of low members length bigger than 2 cm, using as surgical technique osteotomy of the tibia at the metaphysiary level associated to fibular osteotomy, treatment applied to 14 patients assisting to the Orthopedics Specialized Consultation of the Pediatric Hospital of Matanzas with this affection, during the first semester of 2008. The objective was determining the distribution of different clinical variables in these patients and also analyzing the treatment efficacy. For that we made a previous clinic-radiologic evaluation and an evaluation after the treatment. The evaluation of the asymmetry between limbs was made by clinical measuring from the upper-anterior iliac spine to the internal ankle using the Kunkle and Carpenter's scanogram method. We concluded that the most frequent causes of the disease were congenital anomalies and that the used method allows a short staying in the hospital. 100 % of the patients had a satisfactory evolution, with scarce complications, obtaining a total recuperation of the limb length in less than a year in most of the cases.