Epiphysiodesis
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
| Epiphysiodesis | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | {{#statements:P1995}} |
| ICD-9-CM | 78.2 |
Epiphysiodesis is a pediatric surgical procedure in which the epiphyseal (growth) plate of a bone is fused either temporarily or permanently to delay growth of a long bone. This procedure is often used to slow or halt the growth of a morphologically normal leg to allow a shorter leg to grow to a matching length.
Limitations
The procedure must be performed for an appropriate duration during the patient's adolescent growth phase so that the limbs are near-equal in length by the end of skeletal growth. Poor timing can lead to a length mismatch, resulting in poor outcomes and significant patient morbidity.
