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Clinical Results and Complication Rates of Lower Limb Lengthening in Paediatric Patients Using the Precice 2 Intramedullary Magnetic Nail: a Multicentre Study

·J Pediatr Orthop B·2020·43 citations·Pediatrics
DOI·PubMed
SummaryAbstract on PubMed →

Retrospective multicentre study of 26 pediatric patients (<18 years) treated for limb length discrepancy ≥30 mm with the PRECICE 2 magnetically driven intramedullary nail at three Italian tertiary centers (2014–2017). The study evaluates achieved lengthening, nail performance metrics, ASAMI outcomes, and complications classified by Paley's system. The central question is whether this device delivers accurate, safe lengthening in skeletally immature patients compared to external fixation.

Study Snapshot

Design
Retrospective multicentre cohort
Setting: 3 Italian tertiary academic centres
Objective
Whether PRECICE 2 intramedullary nail provides accurate, safe lower limb lengthening in pediatric patients
Outcome(s)
Achieved lengthening, nail accuracy and reliability, ASAMI scores, Paley complications
Subjects
26 patients (<18 years), 26 nails
Inclusion
  • Age <18 years
  • Limb length discrepancy ≥30 mm
  • Follow-up ≥6 months after end of treatment
Exclusion
  • Medullary canal <8.5 mm or irregular shape
  • Angular or rotational deformity ≥10°
  • BMI ≥30 kg/m²
Follow-up
Mean 17.0 ± 9.4 months (minimum 6 months)
Statistics
Paired t-testDescriptive statistics (mean ± SD)

Key Findings

  • The PRECICE 2 nail achieved average lengthening of 44.4 ± 11.6 mm against a goal of 49.4 ± 12.4 mm. Nail accuracy was 91.1% and reliability 88.5% across 26 nails (21 femoral, 5 tibial). These figures are slightly lower than PRECICE 1 series (97% accuracy in Schiedel et al.), likely reflecting the learning curve with a newer device.
  • ASAMI bone scores were excellent in 92.3% of patients and functional scores excellent in 84.6%. No patient had a poor functional outcome. These results are clinically important:
    –The ASAMI functional score captures infection
    –Deformity
    –Residual discrepancy together
    –So zero poor scores means no patient was left worse off by the procedure.
  • Using Paley's framework, the 26-patient series produced:
    –5 problems (joint contractures) — 19.2%
    –1 obstacle (femur fracture requiring nail exchange). 3.8%
    –3 true complications (hip subluxation, deep infection, nail running back). 11.5%
    –Joint contracture is the most common adverse event and is manageable without reoperation.
  • Coronal alignment was fully preserved during lengthening. Mechanical axis deviation and mLDFA did not change significantly from pre- to postoperative (P = 0.426 and P = 0.285, respectively). This confirms the nail does not introduce angular deformity during distraction in a relatively straight bone.
  • Trochanteric tip entry for all antegrade femoral nails resulted in zero cases of AVN or proximal femoral growth disturbance. This directly supports the design rationale: piriformis fossa entry risks the medial femoral circumflex artery, so the PRECICE 2 is engineered for trochanteric entry. This is the standard technique in skeletally immature patients.
  • The one hip subluxation case occurred in a patient with prior developmental dysplasia treated with VDRO and Dega osteotomy. Preoperative plain radiographs did not identify the hip as at risk. CT during lengthening confirmed posterior acetabular wall hypoplasia. This case drives the recommendation for preoperative CT in any patient with a dysplastic hip history before femoral lengthening.
  • Compared to external fixators, intramedullary lengthening devices show lower overall complication rates in comparative studies, driven by elimination of pin-track infections and reduced joint contractures. Major complications. Mechanical failure, bone healing problems, and reoperation rates. Are not significantly different between the two techniques. The nail is not safer in every dimension; it just trades one set of problems for another.
Board PearlPRECICE 2 intramedullary nail achieves 91% lengthening accuracy in pediatric patients, but prior hip dysplasia mandates preoperative CT to rule out subluxation risk.

Clinical Relevance

A patient with limb length discrepancy and a history of hip dysplasia treated with pelvic or proximal femoral osteotomy is not a straightforward candidate for intramedullary lengthening. Plain radiographs can miss acetabular retroversion and posterior wall deficiency — exactly the anatomy that leads to progressive hip subluxation during distraction.

When you are planning PRECICE 2 femoral lengthening in any patient with prior hip dysplasia surgery, get a preoperative CT to assess acetabular morphology before committing to the nail.

For patients without hip pathology, the PRECICE 2 delivers reliable lengthening (91% accuracy, 93% excellent bone scores) with no weight-bearing during distraction and only 25% weight-bearing during consolidation. Joint contractures. The most common problem at 19%. Respond to slowing the distraction rate and escalating physiotherapy without reoperation.

The trochanteric tip entry point is non-negotiable in skeletally immature patients. Piriformis fossa entry risks the medial femoral circumflex artery. Zero AVN cases in this series (and in Hammouda's 28-patient series) confirm trochanteric entry is safe in children.

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Clinical Results and Complication Rates of Lower Limb Lengthening in Paediatric Patients Using the Precice 2 Intramedullary Magnetic Nail: a Multicentre Study

·J Pediatr Orthop B·2020·43 citations·Pediatrics
DOI·PubMed
SummaryAbstract on PubMed →

Retrospective multicentre study of 26 pediatric patients (<18 years) treated for limb length discrepancy ≥30 mm with the PRECICE 2 magnetically driven intramedullary nail at three Italian tertiary centers (2014–2017). The study evaluates achieved lengthening, nail performance metrics, ASAMI outcomes, and complications classified by Paley's system. The central question is whether this device delivers accurate, safe lengthening in skeletally immature patients compared to external fixation.

Study Snapshot

Design
Retrospective multicentre cohort
Setting: 3 Italian tertiary academic centres
Objective
Whether PRECICE 2 intramedullary nail provides accurate, safe lower limb lengthening in pediatric patients
Outcome(s)
Achieved lengthening, nail accuracy and reliability, ASAMI scores, Paley complications
Subjects
26 patients (<18 years), 26 nails
Inclusion
  • Age <18 years
  • Limb length discrepancy ≥30 mm
  • Follow-up ≥6 months after end of treatment
Exclusion
  • Medullary canal <8.5 mm or irregular shape
  • Angular or rotational deformity ≥10°
  • BMI ≥30 kg/m²
Follow-up
Mean 17.0 ± 9.4 months (minimum 6 months)
Statistics
Paired t-testDescriptive statistics (mean ± SD)

Key Findings

  • The PRECICE 2 nail achieved average lengthening of 44.4 ± 11.6 mm against a goal of 49.4 ± 12.4 mm. Nail accuracy was 91.1% and reliability 88.5% across 26 nails (21 femoral, 5 tibial). These figures are slightly lower than PRECICE 1 series (97% accuracy in Schiedel et al.), likely reflecting the learning curve with a newer device.
  • ASAMI bone scores were excellent in 92.3% of patients and functional scores excellent in 84.6%. No patient had a poor functional outcome. These results are clinically important:
    –The ASAMI functional score captures infection
    –Deformity
    –Residual discrepancy together
    –So zero poor scores means no patient was left worse off by the procedure.
  • Using Paley's framework, the 26-patient series produced:
    –5 problems (joint contractures) — 19.2%
    –1 obstacle (femur fracture requiring nail exchange). 3.8%
    –3 true complications (hip subluxation, deep infection, nail running back). 11.5%
    –Joint contracture is the most common adverse event and is manageable without reoperation.
  • Coronal alignment was fully preserved during lengthening. Mechanical axis deviation and mLDFA did not change significantly from pre- to postoperative (P = 0.426 and P = 0.285, respectively). This confirms the nail does not introduce angular deformity during distraction in a relatively straight bone.
  • Trochanteric tip entry for all antegrade femoral nails resulted in zero cases of AVN or proximal femoral growth disturbance. This directly supports the design rationale: piriformis fossa entry risks the medial femoral circumflex artery, so the PRECICE 2 is engineered for trochanteric entry. This is the standard technique in skeletally immature patients.
  • The one hip subluxation case occurred in a patient with prior developmental dysplasia treated with VDRO and Dega osteotomy. Preoperative plain radiographs did not identify the hip as at risk. CT during lengthening confirmed posterior acetabular wall hypoplasia. This case drives the recommendation for preoperative CT in any patient with a dysplastic hip history before femoral lengthening.
  • Compared to external fixators, intramedullary lengthening devices show lower overall complication rates in comparative studies, driven by elimination of pin-track infections and reduced joint contractures. Major complications. Mechanical failure, bone healing problems, and reoperation rates. Are not significantly different between the two techniques. The nail is not safer in every dimension; it just trades one set of problems for another.
Board PearlPRECICE 2 intramedullary nail achieves 91% lengthening accuracy in pediatric patients, but prior hip dysplasia mandates preoperative CT to rule out subluxation risk.

Clinical Relevance

A patient with limb length discrepancy and a history of hip dysplasia treated with pelvic or proximal femoral osteotomy is not a straightforward candidate for intramedullary lengthening. Plain radiographs can miss acetabular retroversion and posterior wall deficiency — exactly the anatomy that leads to progressive hip subluxation during distraction.

When you are planning PRECICE 2 femoral lengthening in any patient with prior hip dysplasia surgery, get a preoperative CT to assess acetabular morphology before committing to the nail.

For patients without hip pathology, the PRECICE 2 delivers reliable lengthening (91% accuracy, 93% excellent bone scores) with no weight-bearing during distraction and only 25% weight-bearing during consolidation. Joint contractures. The most common problem at 19%. Respond to slowing the distraction rate and escalating physiotherapy without reoperation.

The trochanteric tip entry point is non-negotiable in skeletally immature patients. Piriformis fossa entry risks the medial femoral circumflex artery. Zero AVN cases in this series (and in Hammouda's 28-patient series) confirm trochanteric entry is safe in children.

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