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Child Leg Length Discrepancy Treatment

Overview

Neuromuscular. Muscle imbalance causing different pull on pelvis (anterior superior Ilium or posterior inferior ilium). Muscle tightness/shortness especially piriformis (which lead to an external rotation of the femur thus shortening of the leg) and QL (raising ipsilateral iliac crest). Genu recurvatum, valgus, varus. Asymmetrical fallen arches or over pronation. Polio, Cerebral palsy. Trauma. Fracture. Injury epiphyseal plate. Iatrogenic (such as hip or knee surgery). Idiopathic. Hip disorder (such Legg-Perthes-Calve? or Slipped capital femoral epiphysis). Advanced degenerative changes.Leg Length Discrepancy

Causes

There are many causes of leg length discrepancy. Structural inequality is due to interference of normal bone growth of the lower extremity, which can occur from trauma or infection in a child. Functional inequality has many causes, including Poliomyelitis or other paralytic deformities can retard bone growth in children. Contracture of the Iliotibial band. Scoliosis or curvature of the spine. Fixed pelvic obliquity. Abduction or flexion contraction of the hip. Flexion contractures or other deformities of the knee. Foot deformities.

Symptoms

The effects of a short leg depend upon the individual and the extent of discrepancy. The most common manifestation if a lateral deviation of the lumbar spine toward the short side with compensatory curves up the spine that can extend into the neck and even impacts the TMJ. Studies have shown that anterior and posterior curve abnormalities also can result.

Diagnosis

Leg length discrepancy may be diagnosed during infancy or later in childhood, depending on the cause. Conditions such as hemihypertrophy or hemiatrophy are often diagnosed following standard newborn or infant examinations by a pediatrician, or anatomical asymmetries may be noticed by a child's parents. For young children with hemihypertophy as the cause of their LLD, it is important that they receive an abdominal ultrasound of the kidneys to insure that Wilm's tumor, which can lead to hypertrophy in the leg on the same side, is not present. In older children, LLD is frequently first suspected due to the emergence of a progressive limp, warranting a referral to a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon. The standard workup for LLD is a thorough physical examination, including a series of measurements of the different portions of the lower extremities with the child in various positions, such as sitting and standing. The orthopaedic surgeon will observe the child while walking and performing other simple movements or tasks, such as stepping onto a block. In addition, a number of x-rays of the legs will be taken, so as to make a definitive diagnosis and to assist with identification of the possible etiology (cause) of LLD. Orthopaedic surgeons will compare x-rays of the two legs to the child's age, so as to assess his/her skeletal age and to obtain a baseline for the possibility of excessive growth rate as a cause. A growth chart, which compares leg length to skeletal age, is a simple but essential tool used over time to track the progress of the condition, both before and after treatment. Occasionally, a CT scan or MRI is required to further investigate suspected causes or to get more sophisticated radiological pictures of bone or soft tissue.

Non Surgical Treatment

A personalized approach to leg length discrepancy treatment works best for each patient. Your child's doctor will consider many factors when deciding on a course of treatment for this condition. Such factors can include your child's age, extent of the leg length discrepancy, medical history, how your child tolerates certain treatments and procedures, your child's health and prognosis, growth rate, and parental preferences. There is no cookie cutter treatment for each child, or even each centimeter of leg difference. Once all of these factors have been carefully considered, your child's physician will come up with an appropriate course of care. In situations of a very small leg length discrepancy, no treatment, only periodic medical evaluation, may be necessary.

LLD Shoe Inserts

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Surgical Treatment

Lengthening is usually done by corticotomy and gradual distraction. This technique can result in lengthenings of 25% or more, but typically lengthening of 15%, or about 6 cm, is recommended. The limits of lengthening depend on patient tolerance, bony consolidation, maintenance of range of motion, and stability of the joints above and below the lengthened limb. Numerous fixation devices are available, such as the ring fixator with fine wires, monolateral fixator with half pins, or a hybrid frame. The choice of fixation device depends on the desired goal. A monolateral device is easier to apply and better tolerated by the patient. The disadvantages of monolateral fixation devices include the limitation of the degree of angular correction that can concurrently be obtained; the cantilever effect on the pins, which may result in angular deformity, especially when lengthening the femur in large patients; and the difficulty in making adjustments without placing new pins. Monolateral fixators appear to have a similar success rate as circular fixators, especially with more modest lengthenings (20%).