Distraction of the Craniofacial Skeleton

Distraction osteogenesis is a technique of bone lengthening developed by the late Dr. Ilizarov of Russia. It has been applied to the lower extremities with amazing success for the correction of non-unions following fractures as well as underdeveloped limbs. Dr. McCarthy and his colleagues at NYU have developed techniques of distracting various components of the craniofacial skeleton. These techniques hold considerable promise for reconstructive surgery, allowing the surgeon to make precise chang