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Home / Limb Deformities / Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a group of inherited neurological disorders involving the peripheral nerves – that is, those that are outside the brain and spinal cord, and govern the motor and sensory capabilities in the limbs (such as walking).2 Its estimated prevalence in the general population is 1 in 2,500 (.04%).
Usually develops between 5 and 15 years but may develop later. Foot deformities may occur, and the lower legs may have an “inverted champagne bottle” appearance as muscle bulk is lost. As the disease gradually progresses, weakness and loss of fine motor skills may occur, with pain ranging from mild to severe.2
Examination by a neurologist will raise the possibility of the disease, which will be confirmed by nerve conduction studies, electromyography to measure the electrical activity of your muscles, and sometimes, in uncertain cases, by nerve biopsy.
Although CMT cannot be cured, it can be managed with physical therapy, braces, pain medication and surgery.2 Osteotomy (the surgical cutting of a bone or removal of a piece of bone) and treatment with an external fixation device can help to reverse foot and joint deformities, aiding support and strength.2
The SOLE™ Medial Column Fusion Plate System consists of stainless steel plates and screws, and is designed for the fixation of small bones and joints in the foot. The plates and screws are made for complex reconstruction procedures like Charcot foot.
TL-HEX is a dynamic, 3D external fixation system that combines hardware and software to correct bone deformities. This hexapod-based system functions as a 3D bone segment-repositioning module. In essence, the system consists of circular and semi-circular external supports secured to the bones by wires and half-pins, interconnected by six struts.
The Ilizarov System has experienced many modifications over the last fifty years. The TrueLok™ Ring Fixation System, developed at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) in Dallas, Texas, is one of the modern variants of the original fixator, but preserves many of the original principles of Professor Ilizarov. It consists of aluminum rings available in different sizes, connected to the bone through metal wires or/and bone screws. The relative movements of the rings allow the correction of almost all the bone deformities in upper and lower limbs and in the foot.
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