[The Ilizarov method for lengthening and correction of the ulna in radial club hand].

The revolutionary method of treatment of fractures and their complications according to Ilizarov' can also be applied in congenital deformities. Ilizarov uses "compactotomy" and distraction of 1 mm a day, in order to cause a "driving osteogenesis" and the stimulus to regenerate the bone and soft tissues near it and connected to it. In this way it is possible to obtain progressive lengthening of a limb or bone fragment. Bone stumps are fixed with crossed Kirschner wires, and such as we can obtain at the same time a lengthening of nerves, vessels, tendons, muscles; and that, in one of his patients, Ilizarov succeeded in reaching an elongation until 25 cm! Our patient is a 12 years old boy, affected by bilateral radial club hand, congenital heart and kidney diseases. After both wrist centralization requiring soft tissues release, we established that the right forearm showed persistent shortening and radial bowing of the ulna. So we used the Ilizarov's method, mending both deformities and reaching an elongation of the ulna of 7.5 cm. A remarkable both functional an aesthetic improvement of the forearm has been also obtain without any loss of function of soft tissues, such as trophic troubles, functional loss of vessels, nerves, tendons, muscles and skin.