Autodistraction with Force-Feedback in Limb Lengthening
Investigators:
Background:
Sometimes children develop with one leg or one arm shorter than the other. To correct this problem, orthopedic surgeons can perform a procedure called Distraction Osteogenesis to lengthen the bone in the shorter limb. This procedure requires that a mechanical device (a distractor) be attached to the bone and either manually or automatically lengthened a fixed distance -- usually about ½ mm/day. It is not clear if lengthening at a fixed rate is the best approach.
What We're Doing:
We are investigating the use of an automatic device that detects the force being applied to the limb during lengthening. We think that adjusting the rate at which a limb is lengthened to match the forces in the limb will lead to better results with fewer problems and less discomfort for the patient than current practice. In particular, this project concerns the development of a sensor and controller that will allow the distraction rate to be varied based on measuring the force developed during distraction. This is in contrast to the fixed-displacement-driven distraction approach used currently.
