Croatian surgeons perform first limb lengthening surgery without external fixators

Doctors at the Clinic for Traumatology in Zagreb, Croatia, successfully performed the first limb lengthening surgery using a modern technology that does not require an external fixator.

This procedure provided a new treatment option for patients with unequal leg lengths, potentially allowing them to receive care in Croatia instead of traveling abroad. The medical team treated 28-year-old Kristina Sambolek, who faced significant mobility issues due to a six-centimeter difference in her leg lengths.

Because of her condition, she had to navigate daily life with pain, walk on her toes, and wear shoes of different thicknesses. The surgery involved inserting a nail into the bone, which allows the limb to grow independently through magnetic stimulation. The surgical team, which included experts from Slovenia, expects the patient's leg to lengthen by five centimeters over a period of approximately 50 days. While external fixators are still sometimes necessary, the new method reduces complexity for the patient.

Srećko Sabalić, the head of the Clinic for Traumatology, stated that Croatia could expect to treat between three and five patients with this method annually.