Researchers studied distraction forces prospectively during 60 consecutive lengthening procedures for 26 patients. The patients had single submuscular rod constructs with side-to-side connectors.
The fifth lengthening procedure required twice as much force as the first lengthening procedure, and was significantly higher than even the fourth lengthening procedure. The average length achieved at each distraction steadily decreased to 8mm or less at the fifth lengthening.
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