Guided growth: Current concepts and novel techniques for harnessing a child’s growth potential

The principle of guided growth is grounded in the observations of Hueter and Volkmann, who proposed that longitudinal bone growth is stimulated by tension and inhibited by compression. The importance of guided growth lies in its ability to address limb malalignment in a more physiological and less invasive manner compared to traditional osteotomies. By modulating growth at the physis, guided growth allows for gradual correction of deformities, minimizing the disruption to the child’s developing musculoskeletal system and harnessing the child’s own growth potential. Guided growth has been most frequently applied for coronal plane angular deformities around the knee, but is increasingly used for deformities in other locations throughout the growing skeleton. A wide range of deformities with underlying idiopathic and non-idiopathic etiologies are amendable to guided growth procedures. Understanding the influence of the underlying etiology, type, and severity of deformity, the growth rate of the treated physis, and skeletal age is essential for treatment success. This review explores current concepts and novel applications of guided growth and highlights areas that warrant further investigation. The focus is on the clinical aspects of guided growth to correct angular or rotational deformities in both the upper and lower extremities.