How does Leg Lengthening work?
It involves one or more of the bones in a limb being broken, and then the two separate parts of that bone being slowly pulled apart (distracted). Normally this involves small adjustments done several times a day. Bone regenerates in this situation, and new bone cells will be produced and will fill the space in the break. The new bone will not be fully hardened (consolidated) for over a year, but should be strong enough to support walking within a few months of surgery. There are a number of different techniques, some involving only internal procedures, others using external and sometimes a combination of the two. The principle was discovered by Professor Ilizarov of Russia, and the standard external device for lengthening or leg correction is called the Ilizarov frame. There are many alternatives, but nearly all are based on the principles discovered by Professor Ilizarov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilizarov).
