The Fitbone Course on Modern Limb Lengthening and Reverse Deformity Planning was held on 27 June 2026 at the Convention Congress Center in Istanbul. The course was organised by Orthofix Academy and brought orthopaedic surgeons together in Istanbul for a full day focused on motorised intramedullary limb lengthening, deformity planning, and surgical technique.
The course was chaired by Prof. Dr. Muharrem İnan. International speakers included Prof. Dr. Rainer Baumgart, the German surgeon who developed the Fitbone system, and Prof. Dr. Franck Accadbled of Toulouse, together with experienced surgeons from Türkiye.
Prof. Dr. Halil İbrahim Balcı was invited as a speaker and led the session on indications and patient selection. He addressed orthopaedic surgeons on a question that comes before every lengthening procedure: whether the patient is a suitable candidate for motorised lengthening.
In his lecture, Prof. Balcı explained how surgeons assess this decision in daily practice. He discussed deformity type, bone quality, soft tissue condition, previous infection history, patient expectations, and whether an internal lengthening nail is appropriate for the case.
Fitbone motorised nails have changed the way many limb lengthening cases are planned. They allow lengthening to take place inside the bone and are controlled externally, without pin sites or frame care. This makes patient selection and preoperative planning especially important.
The Istanbul course gave participating surgeons the opportunity to review these principles with colleagues experienced in internal lengthening and deformity correction.
