Limb Lengthening Methods Compared: LON, LATN, Precice, Stryde, and Fitbone
Limb lengthening surgery has changed dramatically in the last two decades. What started as a technique to treat severe leg length discrepancies and congenital deformities is now also used for cosmetic height increase and the methods available today range from older external-frame techniques to fully internal motorized nails. If you're researching this surgery, the names get confusing fast. LON, LATN, Precice, Stryde, Fitbone what's the actual difference? This guide breaks each one down in plain English, so you can understand what's being offered before you walk into any consultation. The Two Basic Categories Every limb lengthening method falls into one of two groups: External fixation uses a metal frame outside the leg (like the classic Ilizarov apparatus) with pins going through the skin into the bone. You turn a rod or adjust the frame daily to pull the bone apart slowly while new bone grows in the gap. Internal lengthening uses a nail (rod) placed inside th...