Parents' and nurses’ experiences when children undergo limb lengthening treatment

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe parents' and nurses’ experiences when children undergo limb lengthening procedures. Anisomelia (difference in limb length) great enough to need treatment is relatively rare in children. In Sweden the mean number of limb lengthening operations per year is 22 (National Board of Social Affairs and Health, 2025). Nurses at these orthopaedic clinics are responsible to provide information to the child and caregivers about what to expect pre- and postoperatively. Treatment is lengthy and often painful. The actual lengthening process starts at the hospital and then proceeds at home for several months. The parents of most children treated for anisomelia are responsible for the day-to-day handling of the limb lengthening instrument, and this could put a large strain on them.