Paley European Institute - Arabella's Story - Arthrogryposis, osteotomy, limb lengthening

Arabella was born with arthrogryposis, a group of symptoms with various etiologies, including congenital multiple joint contractures, joint stiffness, and skeletal deformities.

Her parents searched for a surgeon in Scotland who would undertake the treatment of the girl for a long time, but unfortunately without success. Eventually, they came across Dr. Feldman on the Internet, who, during one of his visits to #PEI, agreed to consult the girl and subsequently perform the surgical procedure.

During a single surgical session for Arabella, the following procedures were performed:

Bilateral femoral osteotomy
Bilateral femoral osteoplasty
Bilateral femoral shortening by 5 cm
Knee joint reconstruction
Lengthening of the hamstring tendons
Bilateral release of the sciatic nerve
Bilateral stabilization of the femur with an LCP plate and internal stabilization with a SLIMROD intramedullary nail.
After the procedure, during physiotherapy sessions, Arabella worked on active extension in her knee joints, as well as strengthening the muscles enabling flexion in the joints. Subsequently, she began learning to stand and walk, which involved acquiring the skills of balance maintenance and overcoming the fear of falling.

Orthopedic equipment is extremely important in the case of arthrogryposis because, following the surgical procedures, an orthosis allows for joint protection and maintaining the range of motion.

Currently, the girl is learning to walk and function in everyday life, and the quality of her life is constantly improving. It is wonderful to observe this progress!