Limb Lengthening of 14 cm with Simultaneous Deformity Correction of Femur and Tibia by Fully Implantable, Electric Driven Lengthening Nails

Neisseria meningitidis are the typical agents of a severe septic shock with fulminate disease especially in childhood. There are a lot of late complications as impaired soft tissue and deformities of the limbs with discrepancies in the growing skeleton. In the present case of a 20 year old girl, a lower leg length discrepancy (140 mm) and malalignment on the left side due to meningococcal sepsis in childhood were uneventfully corrected by fully implantable systems in two operative steps despite large scars and severely impaired soft tissue. The current case deals with the impaired bone growth and a resulting malalignment and lower limb discrepancy as late complications of a meningococcal sepsis. Cases like this are commonly corrected by external fixation with a high risk of pin tract complications, remaining malalignment, and patient discomfort. In conclusion, fully implantable intramedullary lengthening nails may be an excellent alternative to external fixation, even in difficult cases.