Femoral shortening.

Femoral shortening is a well proven method of correcting a leg length discrepancy once growth has ceased. The discrepancy should be significant enough to justify the procedure, and should be ideally confined to the femurs. The musculature of the femur to be shortened should be normal. A segment of femur equal to the discrepancy is excised at either the midshaft, subtrochanteric, or supracondylar levels. Secure internal fixation of the osteotomy is essential. Equalization of the femurs (femoral shortening combined with femoral lengthening of the opposite leg) can be performed for femoral discrepancies of over 8 cm.