Femur vs Tibia lengthening
Femur vs Tibia lengthening
Leg lengthening surgery is performed in the lower leg (tibia) and-or upper leg (femur). Both bone segments offer some conveniences and challenges to patients.
Femur Lengthening: Pros and Cons
The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the human body, extending from the hip joint to the knee joint and playing a crucial role in standing and movement. It also supports many vital muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the circulatory system.
In femur lengthening surgery, the femur is cut and a device is inserted to gradually separate the two ends of the bone, allowing the body to create new bone tissue to fill the space.
Pros
- Maximum height gain in one procedure: The femur is a larger bone compared to the tibia, allowing for a greater length to be gained in one procedure, reducing the overall treatment time and allowing patients to achieve their desired height in a single treatment.
- Lower risk of complications: The femur is a larger, stronger bone with a better blood supply, reducing the risk of complications such as infection and non-union.
- Quicker rehabilitation: The femur can bear more weight, enabling patients to start rehabilitation and weight-bearing activities sooner after the procedure.
- Faster healing time: The better blood supply to the femur helps it heal faster than the tibia, reducing overall recovery time for patients.
Cons
- Temporary Challenges in the Early Recovery Phase: Femur lengthening is more challenging in the first week after surgery due to increased pain and difficulty walking. The femur is a larger, stronger bone and can be more sensitive to pain, making it harder to manage in the first week. Plus, it’s the main weight-bearing bone, making it tougher for patients to move around. After the first week, recovery from femur lengthening surgery is similar to that of tibia lengthening, with patients typically experiencing improved mobility and reduced pain levels.
Tibia Lengthening: Pros and Cons
The tibia is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the lower leg (the other being the fibula) and connects the knee to the ankle.
Tibia lengthening is performed by surgically cutting the tibia and inserting a device that gradually separates the two ends of the bone.
Pros
- Reduced pain: Tibia lengthening is often less painful than femur lengthening as the tibia is a smaller bone and is located further from the hip joint.
- Aesthetically pleasing outcome: The tibia is located further from the hip joint and closer to the knee, making changes to its length or shape less noticeable than with femur lengthening.
- Shorter treatment period: Patients can typically only gain up to 6 cm through tibia lengthening, resulting in a shorter lengthening phase and earlier completion of treatment.
- Correct bowlegs (genu varum): Tibia lengthening can correct bowlegs by lengthening the tibia, improving overall leg alignment.
Cons
- Slower healing process: The tibia takes longer to heal compared to the femur due to its location and the fact that it carries less weight during movement.
- Ballerina Syndrome (Achilles tendon tightness): Another disadvantage of tibia lengthening is the risk of developing Ballerina Syndrome. This condition occurs when the lengthened tibia puts excessive strain on the Achilles tendon, causing it to become tight and limiting the range of motion of the ankle. This can result in difficulty with activities such as walking, running, and jumping and may require additional physical therapy and rehabilitation to manage. The Achilles tendon can be lengthened for greater tibial lengthening. Surgical lengthening of the Achilles tendon can lead to permanent muscle weakness. For this reason, we do not recommend lengthening the Achilles tendon to allow greater lengthening.