Overview
The device used to lengthen the leg after placement of the pins usually must stay in place for many months. The leg is gradually lengthened over this time, and the patient is usually able to walk with the device in place. Multiple surgeries are usually required to effect significant lengthening of the limb.
Review Date 12/12/2022
Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.