Pianificazione degli interventi chirurgici nella correzione delle differenze di lunghezza degli arti inferiori

Differences of length of lower limbs can be already present in newborn child, can develope during growth or be revealed in adult age only, due to different causes. The treatment of length discrepancies always consists in eliminating differences by equalising the length of the limbs by means of orthopaedic supports or through systems of lengthening or shortening of the anatomical structures. Medical and physiotherapic therapy offer scance and not appreciable results. Surgical therapy is now more and more adopted in the world and it is very different if applied to the child or to adult patients. In adulthood the operation gives a definitive result, while in children a future modification must always be foreseen, because of future growth, which the entity can not exactly be foresee. The preoperative plan must always consider, therefore, the entity of differences, the age of the patient as well as the prediction of future growth of the limb to operate and of the contralateral one. On this basis and after a review of previous experiencies, a general planning personally used, which is to be adapted to the requirements of patients is presented.