Skip to main content
search
dimitrios giotikas orthopaedic surgeon - Limb Reconstruction and Lengthening

Dr. Dimitrios M. Giotikas, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mediterraneo Hospital

Limb reconstruction of the upper and lower limbs (Limb reconstruction) is the field of orthopaedics that specializes in treatments related to bridging bone defects, correcting bone deformities and lengthening of the limbs; or any combination of the above.

These methods are applied to patients with:

  • Bone infections after a fracture or surgery; Chronic osteomyelitis.
  • Delayed Union, non-union or pseudarthrosis of fractures (inability to heal/unite).
  • Severe open fractures with loss of bone, skin and muscles.
  • Deformities of the limb (bending, shortening, rotational or any combination thereof) after a fracture or complication of previous surgery.
  • Joint stiffness – Knee and ankle joint fixed stiffness and ankylosis.
  • Congenital abnormalities, Leg Length discrepancy, limb hypoplasia, dwarfism.
  • Short stature, height dysphoria; cosmetic limb lengthening

These problems usually come as a result of the severity of the initial injury and/or as complications that occurred during its subsequent treatment. The social, professional and personal life of the patient is significantly affected for prolonged period (Life-changing events).

Dealing with these problems is difficult and time consuming. Often, the input of many specialties is required (Orthopaedics and Plastics Surgeons, Infectious Diseases Specialist, Physiotherapist, Prosthetics Orthotist, Psychologist).

giotikas dim - Limb Reconstruction and Lengthening
Our medical team consists of specialized doctors with substantial clinical experience from large international tertiary trauma centres.

In our department we use cutting-edge technologies such as:

  • Magnetically expandable intramedullary nails (Precise-2®, Nuvasive) for femoral and tibial lengthening with or without deformity correction.
  • Mechanically expandable intramedullary nails (Guichet X-OS®) that allow walking with a full weight bearing from the first postoperative day.
  • Circular external fixators for multi-plane correction of complex limb deformities using special software (Taylor Spatial Frame®, Smith & Nephew).
  • Special intramedullary reamer (Reamer Irrigator Aspirator RIA® by Johnson & Johnson) for obtaining bone graft with minimal invasive technique and also for intramedullary debridement and lavage in cases of extended intramedullary osteomyelitis.
  • Absorbable antibiotic-carrying pellets (Cerament® Bonesupport and Stimulan® Biocomposites) for the local adjuvant treatment of bone infections.

Our team gets referrals of patients from around the world, whose complex orthopedic problems require specialized surgical expertise  and the most advanced medical technology.

Close Menu