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Clinical Research

Limited Quadricepsplasty for Contracture during Femoral Lengthening

Saurabh Khakharia1, Austin T. Fragomen1 and S. Robert RozbruchContact Information

(1)  Institute for Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction, Limb Lengthening and Deformity Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA

Received: 28 September 2008  Accepted: 10 June 2009  Published online: 25 June 2009

Abstract  Extension contracture of the knee is a common complication of femoral lengthening. Knee flexion exercises to stretch the contracture with physical therapy can be effective but take a prolonged amount of time to work and place increased stress across the patellofemoral joint. We developed a minimal-incision limited quadricepsplasty surgical technique to treat knee extension contracture secondary to femoral lengthening and retrospectively reviewed 16 patients treated with this procedure. The mean age of the patients was 23 years. Range of motion of the knee and quadriceps strength were recorded preoperatively, after femur lengthening but before additional surgery, after quadricepsplasty, and at each followup. The mean femoral lengthening performed was 4.4 cm. We compared range of motion and time to regain knee flexion with those of historical controls. The minimum followup after quadricepsplasty was 6 months (mean, 38 months; range, 6–84 months). The mean range of motion was 129° preoperatively, 29° after the distraction phase of femoral lengthening, and 108° after limited quadricepsplasty, and at final followup, the mean knee flexion was 125°. There were no major complications. Limited quadricepsplasty improved knee flexion after a knee extension contracture developed secondary to femoral lengthening. In comparison to historical controls who did not have quadricepsplasty, the patients with limited quadricepsplasty had quicker return of knee flexion, although there was no difference in knee flexion achieved ultimately.
Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.
Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participation in the study was obtained.

Contact Information S. Robert Rozbruch
Email: Rozbruchsr@hss.edu
Email: Srroz@optonline.net

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