Why would someone have a metal cage on their leg?
The Ilizarov apparatus is a type of external fixation used in orthopedic surgery to lengthen or reshape limb bones; as a limb-sparing technique to treat complex and/or open bone fractures; and in cases of infected nonunions of bones that are not amenable with other techniques.
How do I apply for Ilizarov?
Allow at least 2 cm everywhere between ring and skin.
- Preparation. Connect the two proximal rings with three threaded rods.
- Attach most proximal ring to tibia. The most proximal ring should lie 2 or more centimeters below the proximal tibial articular surface.
- Pearl – positioning aids.
- Fixation of the middle ring.
Can you walk after leg lengthening surgery?
You will be able to bear weight on both of your legs immediately after surgery, but you may require the use of crutches or a walker for stability. The lengthening device that will be used can withstand 250lbs immediately after surgery, allowing you to bear weight right away.
What is the Ilizarov technique?
It is named after the orthopedic surgeon Gavriil Abramovich Ilizarov from the Soviet Union, who pioneered the technique. Ilizarov used external fixation devices on patients to treat non-unions in the 1950s.
What is Ilizarov’s theory of tension?
The apparatus is based on the principle which Ilizarov called “the theory of tensions”. Through controlled and mechanically applied tension stress, Ilizarov was able to show that the bone and soft tissue can be made to regenerate in a reliable and reproducible manner.
How do Ilizarov rods work?
The top rings of the Ilizarov (fixed to the healthy bone by the tensioned wire) allow force to be transferred through the external frame (the vertical metal rods), bypassing the fracture site. Force is then transferred back to the healthy bone through the bottom ring and the tensioned wires.
What did Ilizarov do for Carlo Mauri?
Ilizarov used distraction osteogenesis to heal the non-union and 3.5 cm (1.4 in) leg length discrepancy. Ilizarov gained more fame in 1980 when he successfully treated Italian journalist and adventurer, Carlo Mauri. Mauri had broken his leg in a skiing accident ten years earlier and his tibia never properly healed.