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Ilizarov Centre for Traumatology and Orthopaedics is the
largest and most experienced corrective and rehabilitation
institute in the world today. The centre was founded as
a Russian Federal institute by Prof. Gavriil A. Ilizarov
in 1951 in order to treat post WWII veterans with leg
traumas and non-unions. Prof. Ilizarov was the first to
develop the process of limb lengthening (later on for
treatment of orthopaedic pathology) and successfully implement
it to traumatic as well as corrective cases. After his
graduation, the Soviet government sent Ilizarov to practice
in Kurgan, Western Siberia where there was a shortage
of physicians to address post-war medical traumas and
cases of osteomyelitis. It was here that he pioneered
a fixation frame that was placed around the leg with the
application of compression and distraction for the management
of fractures knowing that their compression would help
stimulate bone healing. At first, there was much resistance
and scepticism from the orthopaedic community, but to
date limb lengthening has proven to be a very powerful
and effective procedure.
 In
1966 Ilizarov was appointed head of the laboratory a branch
of the Sverdlovsk Trauma and Orthopaedic Institute on
scientific investigation and introduction into clinical
practice of the Ilizarov method. In 1969 the laboratory
was reformed into an affiliation of the Leningrad Research
Institute for Traumatology and Orthopaedics and in December
1971 into an independent scientific and clinical institution
- Kurgan Research Institute for Experimental and Clinical
Orthopaedics and Traumatology (KNIIEKOT). In 1987 the
Institute got the status of a federal Centre and in 1993
it was renamed into Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre
for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.
The scientists of the Centre investigate regeneration
and growth of bone and other tissues, carry out basic
and applied medical research, develop new techniques and
devices for cosmetic lengthening as well as treatment
and rehabilitation of patients with bone injuries and
orthopaedic pathologies. The Centre has developed and
introduced into practice the method of transosseous osteosynthesis
after Ilizarov which presents a system of operative and
non-operative techniques for management of fractures or
bone defects without grafting, elimination of bone shortening
and deformities, treatment of pseudoarthrosis, hand and
foot pathology and pathology in major joints.
The scientists and surgeons of the Centre compiled 129
theses for medical degrees, published 3500 scientific
articles, 16 books and 36 issues of collective scientific
works as well as prepared 132 practical manuals on the
Ilizarov techniques for surgeons. The faculty of transosseous
osteosynthesis trains surgeons on the Ilizarov technique
with Dissertation Council and post-graduate courses functioning
on a permanent base.
The Ilizarov technique was introduced to the West in the
1980s, predominantly via Italian surgeons. It gained popularity
in the 90s, and has been used successfully by many surgeons
throughout the world now. In most developing countries
it is a highly specialised technique used mainly for deformity
correction by experienced deformity surgeons due to its
complexity.
Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology,
Achondroplasia, and Orthopaedics is situated in Kurgan,
Russia. It is now the world's largest scientific and research
centre of this specialisation. Through all this time our
doctors have collected unique experience in treatment
with the Ilizarov method. Our Center features the necessary
conditions to provide our patients with high quality treatment
for the entire duration of one's procedure. It includes
17 specialised departments, provides over 1000 beds, features
23 operating theatres, 2 hyperbaric oxygen therapy rooms,
3 exercise rooms, 2 physiotherapy rooms and a massage
room. The centre also incorporates a pharmacy, cyber café,
ATM machines, a restaurant and 2 shopping kiosks for the
additional convenience of our patients.
Patients stay in the hospital during their entire treatment.
It is one of the advantages versus other hospitals, which
provide hospital care only for several days after the
operation. Patients are provided with single rooms each
equipped with a bathroom, TV set, phone and a kitchen
with microwave oven and refrigerator. For an additional
fee they can have access to satellite TV and Internet.
Patients are provided 3 meals a day with the diet specifically
developed to promote bone regeneration. It is rich with
vitamins, calcium and protein.
The hospital is positioned within a central business location.
There are post offices, banks and several supermarkets
all within walking distance to suit patients' requirements.
The Centre also incorporates a dedicated international
department to provide aid of translation services. The
department consists of seven staff members speaking all
major languages including English, Spanish and French.
Translation services are complimentary and staff are present
in the Centre on a daily basis. Translators accompany
physicians during their patient checkups however are also
available on request to carry out patient errands.
As the Russian Federation operates under a public health
scheme, prices for patient treatments are therefore regulated
by the Russian Government. This allows the Ilizarov limb
lengthening procedure to be a practical and affordable
option for prospective patients. For more information
regarding prices on our height increase procedure please
contact us.
The Ilizarov US office organises all paperwork necessary
for patients to obtain entry to the Russian Federation.
Relevant documents will be collected by our US office
and submitted to the Russian Embassy for visa issuing.
Please allow us 4-6 weeks from the date of your initial
application in order to process the appropriate documents
and obtain your visa.
The US office will require the following data to organise
your visa:
» Scanned passport copy
» Place of birth (city, country)
» Home
address
» Place of work or study, its address
and position of an applicant
» City where a
visa will be obtained
Please ensure that your passport is valid for 1 year after
your intended departure date to Russia in order to avoid
any complications with visa processing.
Flights from Moscow to Kurgan depart a few times a week.
The US office will book your domestic ticket from Moscow
to Kurgan in advance for the ease of your travel. To organise
your international ticket to Moscow you may book it independently
or this can also be arranged for you by our staff.
Upon arrival in Kurgan, a member of the Centre will meet
you at the airport and escort you to the hospital where
you will be accommodated and your initial consultation
scheduled.
A less invasive technique for distraction osteosynthesis
was developed by a Russian orthopedist Gavriil Abramovich
Ilizarov in the 1950s. His work was introduced to
Italy in the 1980s as a result of the former Soviet Union's
policy of glasnost, and later to the United States (Frankel
et al, 1988). According to Ilizarov's principle
of "tension stress", bone and soft tissue will heal and
regenerate in a predictable fashion under tension.
The Ilizarov procedure comprises 4 phases: (i) corticotomy
(a special type of percutaneous osteotomy) and placement
of an external fixation system, (ii) latency period, (iii)
distraction, and (iv) consolidation. This method
has been employed to treat a wide variety of bone defects
including limb lengthening while correcting concurrent
associated angular and rotational malalignments, transporting
bone segments to fill fracture gaps, and healing non-union
fractures. Compared to other alternatives such as
the Wagner technique, the Ilizarov method requires only
one surgical procedure and appears to have fewer complications.
Additionally, the Ilizarov procedure allows for simultaneous
correction of multiple deformities, early movement of
adjacent joints, as well as early weight bearing (Do and
Sadove, 1992; Simard et al, 1992).
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