I am completely aware that just two post ago I had written about the various types of distraction osteogenesis procedures available. You can find the post by clicking HERE.

What I am doing now is doing a more reader friendly post about the procedure which will go less in detail and more easily understood version. The information I have copy and pasted is not my own but taken from the resource link Short Support which you can find under the Resource Page.

The link to the information below where I found on the Short Support website is found by clicking HERE.

New Procedures in Cosmetic Leg And Limb Lengthening

There have been many developments in recent years that improve upon the Ilizarov External Fixator device. Most of these developments involve internal devices that either provide more support during lengthening and strengthening, or eliminate completely the need for the cumbersome Ilizarov device. The alternatives are listed below in alphabetical order.

• Albizzia
  Albizzia is also called GEN for Gradual Elongation over intramedullary Nail and is a variation of Internal Lengthening Over Nails. It was developed in France by Dr Jean-Marc Guichet at the University Center (CHU) of Dijon in 1986. The device is sping loaded. The rotation of the patient’s lower extremity creates the distraction with an audible “click.” It appears to be similar to, or perhaps a precursor of the ISKD. Dr Guichet is continuing his research with the development of a new 3D-Reconstruction nail (3D-Albizzia) allowing for lengthening and axial corrections at the same time.
• Bliskunov’s method
  Bliskunov’s method was pioneered in the ex-USSR by Professor Alexander Bliskunov, now deceased. It is another example of an internal lengthening device and is now practiced in the Ukraine. 
  

  

   

• Fitbone®
  The Fitbone® device is being used by Prof. Augustin Betz in Germany and appears to be the only device that uses a powered system to lengthen the legs. The bones of the leg (Tibia and/or Femur) are cut and the intramedullary telescoping nail is implanted in the bone marrow of each bone. Each end of the telescope nail is attached to each end of the cut bone. The nail is connected to an induction receiver that is placed just under the skin. An external control unit powers the telescope nail though the induction plate. A similar technique has been used to power artificial hearts.Additional information is available from the The Fitbone® site.

   

  Dr. Betz’s Therapiezentrum Martinsmühle site also provides good information about the procedure. See especially the “Implantation technique” link on the left side of the home page.

• Intramedullary Skeletal Kinetic Distractor (ISKD)
  The Intramedullary Skeletal Kinetic Distractor (ISKD) device uses a kinetic clutch mechanism to lengthen the leg. One segment of a rod is screwed onto another and the whole rod is inserted into the patient’s bone. When the patient rotates his or her leg, the lower segment rotates over the upper one, like screwing a bolt out of a nut, and the rod lengthens, expanding the leg. The clutch ensures that the rod can rotate only in one direction. A monitor is included to track how much the leg has separated at any point in time.The ISKD was invented by Dr. J. Dean Cole, an orthopedic surgeon and President of Orthodyne Inc. Dr. Cole is Medical Director of the Florida Hospital, Orthopaedic Institute, Fracture Care Center. This is one of the few facilities in the U.S. that performs Cosmetic Leg Lengthening. Orthofix manufactures this device. Drs. Paley and Herzenberg at the LifeBridge International Center for Limb Lengthening (ICLL) also use ISKD for Cosmetic Leg Lengthening.
• Lengthening Over Nails (LON)
  The use of Lengthening Over Nails was pioneered in 1990, by Drs. Paley and Herzenberg while they practiced at the Maryland Center for Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction (MCLLR). They are now at the LifeBridge International Center for Limb Lengthening (ICLL). During the initial surgery, a metal rod is inserted into the central cavity (intramedullary) of the lower legs (the tibia bone), and then the external fixator device is attached to the bone. As the limb is lengthened, one end of the bone slides over the rod and new bone is grown around it. When the bone is fully lengthened, the external device is removed and the rod is surgically attached to each bone segment. During bone strengthening, the rod provides support instead of the more uncomfortable and unwieldy External Fixator Device. At the end of the Strengthening phase, a second operation is performed to remove the metal rod. Lengthening Over Nails decreases the duration of the Strengthening phase by two to three months.
• Micro-wound
  Dr. Helong Bai at the The 8th Hospital in Chongqing, China developed a micro-wound operation for leg lengthening. This procedure uses a fixative clip instead of an Ilizarov fixator. The fixator clip covers just one side of the leg and appears to be more comfortable than the Ilizarov fixator which completely surrounds the leg.

  

   

• Precice™
  Developed by Ellipse Technologies, the Precice™ System uses non-invasive adjustable intramedullary rods or bone plates to lengthen long-bones (e.g., femur, tibia). There are no open wounds. Lengthening is achieved through an External Remote Controller (ERC). The “ERC” is a portable, hand held unit that uses permanent magnets to automatically modify the length of the implant through the touch of a switch. The rods can distract up to 65mm.

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• ProtoDerm® Pin Site Dressings
  In December 2009 we were contacted by a representative from Integrity Medical Devices. The company manufactures pin site dressings for External Fixation Devices. For more information, please read theirIntroduction Sheet and Features and Benefits document.
• Salamehfix
  Salamehfix 1, or SLDF System, is a hinged External Fixation System developed by Prof. Ghassan Salameh in Syria. It is an arc system rather than a circular system and consists of three small arcs. The arcs are not the same diameter so the system can take the shape of leg. The entrance of screws and wires are in minimally painful regions so it’s more tolerable, provides for stable fixation and allows early full weight bearing. The small size of the system allows clothing to be worn over it with full mobility of nearby joints.