Hey guys hows it going!
What are the disadvantages of external femur for 4 cm of gain? Thinking of using Mitkovic's monorails.. They don't seem to impede knee ROM compared to traditional ilizarov, and I read that axis deviations can be corrected. Frames off is estimated at 6 months post first surgery.
Questionsssss! - Does it damage muscle if the pins go through the muscles? External fixators for tibia aren't painful because don't transect muscle groups, I think. Only painful if there is inflammation. So I am seriously considering ex-fix for femur!
Would there be risk of nerve damage as compared to internal femurs? I heard some internal femurs also get nerve damage...?? So the risk is there as well?
By the way, I just did tibia lengthening of about 8 cm and now I am 6 feet - removed my external fixators about 4 months ago, and have recovered quite a bit of my athletic abilities - can go down stairs fast, can climb up stairs fast with heavy luggage, can jump higher than before, can run 70% as fast as before, have 30% of my previous endurance. Though flexibility has really suffered.
But I expect to recover more =D
Doctor was in Moscow. Legs are aligned on X-rays and real life.