Some conditions, trauma or infections can leave children and adults with a difference in their limb length. Sometimes this can be managed without surgery, but often it is too difficult to live with high shoe raises and uneven walking.
Dr Graff is one of few orthopaedic surgeons in Adelaide who performs leg lengthening, with either a circular frame or an internal device.
One of Dr Graff’s favourite surgeries is deformity correction, as patients who have significant pain and disability have life changing results. Not only is the appearance of the limb changed, but patients are generally more functional, have less pain, and are at less risk of arthritis later in life.
Dr Graff has helped children and adults with complex foot and ankle deformities secondary to club foot, cerebral palsy, charcot-marie-tooth disease and other disorders to improve gait and lessen pain. She does a careful pre-operative assessment, and tailors surgery to the needs of the patient.
Guided growth is the name given to minor surgery to allow the growth plate to grow in a certain way to correct deformities. This is usually performed at the knee or the ankle and can only be performed while the child is still growing. Often small plates and screws are used on one side of the growth plate to allow the other side of the growth plate to grow and correct the deformity over time.
Adelaide Paediatrics
Suite 15, Level 3 Ashford Specialist Centre
57-59 Anzac Highway
Ashford SA 5035
