[Primary shortening--secondary lengthening. A new treatment concept for reconstruction of extensive soft tissue and bone injuries after 3rd degree open fracture and amputation of the lower leg].

The main problem in major limb replantation--especially of the lower extremity--is an extensive bone- and soft-tissue loss. The traditional replantation concept tries to preserve the initial limb length; only a small shortening is accepted. To avoid a more extensive shortening, often insufficient debridement at the time of replantation is carried out. After successful revascularisation, bone and soft-tissue defects will be reconstructed according to the principles of staged reconstruction. Especially segmental nerve defects of more than one major peripheral nerve and severe skin and muscle loss necessitate extensive secondary grafting procedures. This often leads to a prolonged hospitalisation and a high complication rate. In 1951, Lorenz Böhler described the deliberate extremity shortening as a method of therapy in segmental combined bone-soft-tissue defects of the extremities. No additional surgical procedure were necessary to treat the soft tissue defect. A functional but shortened extremity was the result. With Ilizarov's principle of callus distraction he proved in an extensive experimental and clinical study the possibility to lengthen extremities without functional damage up to 20 cm. A new reconstruction concept--"concept of primary shortening with secondary limb lengthening"--for the treatment of amputation and/or amputation-like injuries was created by combining both principles mentioned above. At the time of replantation (reconstruction), deliberate shortening is carried out in order to reduce soft-tissue and/or bone defect or to enable primary nerve repair. Moreover, the aggressive debridement leads to a reduction of the local complication risk (wound healing disturbance, infection) and the potential systemic complications (crush-syndrome, ischemia-reperfusion-syndrome) after revascularisation of a large tissue bloc. Six to twelve months after replantation, secondary limb lengthening is started using an external or internal (= programmable intramedullary nail) distraction device. Since 1985, twelve patients (six macroamputations and six third-degree open fractures of the lower leg) have been treated using the "concept of primary shortening with secondary limb lengthening". Indications, operative technique, and results are shown and discussed, comparing this new concept to the traditional "concept of staged length-reconstruction" with extensive free tissue reconstruction and secondary nerve grafting.