Single stage lengthening by intercalary bone graft in patients with congenital hand deformities.

The experience with single-stage lengthening by intercalary bone graft in four patients with congenital hand deformities is presented. In all seven lengthenings the gap was bridged by a toe phalanx bone graft. The elongation of the ray ranged from 5-14 mm. Examination of patients followed from one to five years after the treatment showed a good appearance of the lengthened ray. One bone graft assimilation resulted in a pseudoarthrosis and another had osteopenia that resolved spontaneously. All others healed uneventfully. The quality of the skin sensitivity, vascular status and tendon balance is preserved after the lengthening.