Application of the Ilizarov Technique

Abstract

It has been more than 30 years since Ilizarov technique was first introduced to Chinese doctors and they began to learn and develop this great technology. Nowadays, mainland China has already become the number one area in the world for the application of Ilizarov technology as the saying from Prof. Nuno Lopes, who was the president of “External Fixation and Bone Reconstruction.” The application of Ilizarov technology in China has helped the development of limb reconstruction, wound repair, and other related disciplines.

Ilizarov’s innovations are not limited to his invention of the ring-type external fixation device and its original series of surgical methods (such as bone transport), but also include his discovery of the tension-stress principle, which revealed the natural attributes of regeneration and the reconstruction of living tissue, also called the “Ilizarov effect.” This is the incontrovertible basis for the improvement of all instruments and methods.

About 80% of the limb deformities undergone surgery in Qinsihe orthopedic clinic are neurogenic disability in lower extremity, and most of them are patients who have delayed or failed treatment. Such patients often have complicated dynamic imbalance, tendon fascia and skin contracture, skin scars, bone and joint deformities. Mild deformity can achieve satisfactory correction by one-stage surgery. In the severe deformities, partial correction is performed during the surgery and then the residual deformities are gradually corrected using the Ilizarov external fixator, and finally the target of deformity correction can be achieved.

As the incurable diseases, usually referred to diseases in orthopedic that are very difficult to treat and have no uniform treatment method, such as complex poly fractures and multiple malunion of post-traumatic fractures, multi-dimensional deformities of bones and joints caused by epiphysis injuries, deformities caused by congenital or infectious long bone defects, etc. These diseases are difficult to cure with classic treatments, but magical effects can be achieved with Ilizarov technology.

Combination is also an innovation. External fixation is poorly comfortable and it is difficult to carry for patients in a long time. External fixation combined with internal fixation can reduce the wearing time and related complications of external fixation.

The technical localization in China has been completed by Dr. Xia and Qin. Much Orient wisdom has been integrated, and many innovations are made and acknowledged by the international peers. However, the number of surgeons who can skillfully use and deeply understand this technique remains small in developing country not only in China, which will be the focus of future work.