Femoral Lengthening in Children: A Comparison of Motorized Intramedullary Nailing Versus External Fixation Techniques.

Background: Femoral lengthening is associated with high complication rates often related to the type of surgical device used to perform the lengthening. The advent of intramedullary lengthening devices has promised a reduction in complications when compared with external fixation systems. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of femoral lengthening in children using a motorized intramedullary nail (Precice) versus an external fixation system (Taylor Spatial Frame-TSF; or Monolateral Rail System-MRS) at a single institution, single surgeon practice.