Differences in the limb could be irritating and when it is in the legs, it could affect your day-to-day activities. Limb length discrepancy is not uncommon and there are reliable orthopedic techniques available to correct such conditions. But the same was not the case a few decades ago as there were no reliable techniques to equalize the differences in the limbs. The evolution of the field of orthopedics has made surgeries done to correct limb length inequalities more reliable and better outcomes are noticed. In this post, we will see some key points associated with limb length discrepancy and surgery done to correct this condition.
Limb Length Discrepancy – An Overview
Limb Length Discrepancy (LLD) is a condition where one limb of a person’s body is longer than the other. This discrepancy is seen in arms & legs while the condition with different leg lengths is more serious than that of arms. LLD could occur due to many reasons including:
- The limb length inequality could be by birth (congenital)
- LLD could occur due to a disease occurring during childhood
- Improper functioning of growth plates
- Due to traumatic injury that leads to the shortening of bone ends
It is noticed that differences in the arm lengths generally do not affect their working and pose any difficulties in the normal day-to-day working.
LLD is common and a slight difference in the lengths of the limb could be seen in many people, but in such cases, no special treatment is required as people with a slight difference don’t find any difficulties. While on the other hand, if the difference exceeds 1.5 to 2 cm, it is advised to get the discrepancy checked and take proper treatment. If surgery is required to correct limb length discrepancy, then Orthopedic Implants will be used.
How Limb Lengthening Discrepancies are Corrected?
There are several methods by which this condition can be corrected and that can be classified as:
- Non-surgical Treatment
- Surgical Treatment
Non-surgical treatment
When it comes to correcting limb length discrepancy using the non-surgical method, then the orthopedist will suggest orthopedic shoes. This method is useful when the difference in the limbs is 2 cm or less, as people don’t prefer shoe lift more than 2 inches.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is the best option when the difference in the limb is between 2 and 5 cm. In such cases, shortening of the bone in the longer limb is preferred. This surgery is carried out after giving general anesthesia to the patient and removing some part of the bone surgically to match its length to the opposing limb. This surgery requires the use of trauma implants like Bone Plate and Bone Screws.
Siora Surgicals is a reliable manufacturer of orthopedic devices and is also known to be an experienced trauma implants Suppliers in Malaysia and other countries.
In certain cases, limb lengthening surgery is performed (depending on the patient’s condition). During this surgery, an External Fixator System is used to stabilize the bone fragments cut during osteotomy and create a gap in between to promote distraction osteogenesis. In this way, the length of the shorter limb is increased and made equal to the other limb.
Hi, I am Colette Smith was brought into the world in Claremont, CA Studied at Pomona College. Fiery to bestow my knowledge to charmed people. I have extensive stretches of inclusion with the field of Business, Health and Information Technology. Beside that, I love to contribute energy with my family.
