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New distractor prototype automates limb lengthening in distraction osteogenesis
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A new prototype developed by Texas undergraduates promises to ease the process of distraction osteogenesis to lengthen limbs that have shortened because of pediatric bone deformities.
By automating the process with a battery-operated motor to control lengthening, children or parents can avoid the potentially dangerous mistake of forgetting to turn a distractor screw several times a day, the Rice University students concluded. The linear distractor also includes a force-feedback loop, which shuts the motor off during high loads to help prevent overstressed tissues or nerves that commonly result from lengthening. The students worked together with Shriners Hospital for Children in Houston to create the device.
“The process of limb-lengthening – essentially creating a localized mini-growth spurt – works well for bones but it is very hard on the soft tissues such as nerves and blood vessels,” Gloria Gogola, MD, an upper extremity surgeon at Shriners Hospital for Children in Houston, stated in a press release. “This team has done an outstanding job of designing a creative solution. Their device not only protects the soft tissues, it will ultimately speed up the entire process.”
The distractor adjusts the length nearly 1,000 times per day, more accurately simulating bone growth. The students said a future goal for the device would be to design a version that is less bulky to reduce wear and tear of the device and increase patient comfort.