At the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso orthopedist Dr. Amr Abdelgawad, with help from Noe Hernandez of Carnegie Mellon University, has invented a bone lengthening implant which can be used to lengthen the bones of young children. Conventional bone lengthening Ilizarov apparatuses are external structures attached to a bisected bone by large pins inserted through the skin and tissue. The Ilizarov device slowly separates the bisected bone, allowing for new bone growth. Though this is the current standard concerning bone lengthening, it cannot be used on young children due to the potential danger to their growth plates, the area in the bone that contains growing tissue.
Dr. Abdelgawad’s device is a thin metal plate that can be implanted alongside the bone with screws anchored directly to the bone elected to be lengthened. Through the use of an external remote control, physicians have the ability to lengthen the metal plate, and in turn the patient’s bone over time. Dr. Abdelgawad’s device has several advantages over devices on the market right now, including decreased risk of infection, decreased pain, and the accessibility to young children who may require the procedure. Though the device is still in its developmental phase it is a promising advancement from the modern methods.
Device info page: Internal Bone Lengthener by Plate and Screws…
Via: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso…
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