nih-gov/medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm
2025-02-26 13:17:41 -05:00

288 lines
No EOL
32 KiB
HTML
Raw Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters

This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" id="article" class="nojs us" data-root="//medlineplus.gov" itemid="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm" itemtype="http://schema.org/MedicalWebPage" itemscope="">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"/>
<meta http-equiv="window-target" content="_top"/>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/>
<meta charset="utf-8"/>
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="1042245625821448"/>
<meta name="expires" content="Wed, 05 02 2025"/>
<meta name="ac-dictionary" content="medlineplus-ac-dictionary"/>
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/>
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="//medlineplus.gov/images/touch-icon.png"/>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/common_new.css?04272023"/>
<!--[if IE 8]> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ie8/common.css"><![endif]-->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/css/uswds_styles.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ency/ency2.css?07162024"/>
<script type="text/javascript">document.querySelector("html").className = document.querySelector("html").className.replace(/nojs[\s]*/g, '');</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds-init.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&amp;l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MMVM77');</script>
<link rel="canonical" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm" itemprop="url"/>
<link rel="alternative" hreflang="es" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/002965.htm"/>
<link rel="alternative" hreflang="en" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm"/><meta property="og:title" content="Leg lengthening and shortening: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"/><meta property="og:url" content="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm"/><meta property="twitter:title" content="Leg lengthening and shortening: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"/><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/><meta name="description" content="Leg lengthening and shortening are types of surgery to treat some people who have legs of unequal lengths."/><meta itemprop="description" name="description" content="Leg lengthening and shortening are types of surgery to treat some people who have legs of unequal lengths."/><meta property="og:description" content="Leg lengthening and shortening are types of surgery to treat some people who have legs of unequal lengths."/><meta property="twitter:description" content="Leg lengthening and shortening are types of surgery to treat some people who have legs of unequal lengths."/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_1.jpg"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_2.jpg"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_3.jpg"/><meta property="twitter:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_1.jpg"/>
<title>Leg lengthening and shortening: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia</title>
</head>
<body><link href="http://schema.org/Patient" itemprop="audience"/>
<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
<noscript><iframe title="googletagmanager" src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-MMVM77" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden">
</iframe>
</noscript>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager -->
<a name="top" id="top">
</a>
<a class="hide-offscreen" href="#start">Skip navigation</a>
<section class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official website of the United States government">
<div class="usa-accordion">
<header class="usa-banner__header">
<div class="usa-banner__inner">
<div class="grid-col-auto">
<img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/us_flag_small.png" alt=""/>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto" aria-hidden="true">
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">
An official website of the United States government
</p>
<p class="usa-banner__header-action">Heres how you know</p>
</div>
<button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Heres how you know</span>
</button>
</div>
</header>
<div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default-default">
<div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg">
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br/>A
<strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br/>A
<strong>lock</strong> (
<span class="icon-lock"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" role="img" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false">
<title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title>
<desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc>
<path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z">
</path>
</svg> </span>) or <strong>https://</strong> means youve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<div id="mplus-wrap">
<header>
<div id="mplus-header">
<!-- Orgs
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-orgs">
<a title="National Institutes of Health" target="_blank" class="nih-org" href="//www.nih.gov/">
<img alt="National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nihlogo.png" class="nihlogo"/>
</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/"> National Library of Medicine </a>
</div>
<!-- Logo
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-logo" class="years-25">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov">
<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/m_logo_25.png" title="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" alt="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You"/>
</a>
</div>
<!-- Nav Menu
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-nav">
<div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">The navigation menu has been collapsed.</div>
<!-- Menu Button-->
<button type="submit" aria-controls="mplus-menu-list" role="button" title="Menu" class="navmenu-btn" id="sm-menu-btn" aria-pressed="false" tabindex="0">Menu<span class="icon icon-nav-menu">
</span></button><ul class="nav-list" id="mplus-menu-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs &amp; Supplements</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
</ul><button type="submit" aria-controls="mplus-search" role="button" title="Search" class="navmenu-btn" id="sm-search-btn" aria-pressed="false" tabindex="0"><span class="hide-offscreen">Show </span>Search<span class="icon icon-nav-search">
</span></button>
<div class="top-1">
<!-- Search
================================================== -->
<form target="_self" title="Search MedlinePlus" action="//vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta" method="get" id="mplus-search">
<input type="hidden" value="medlineplus" name="v:project"/>
<input type="hidden" value="medlineplus-bundle" name="v:sources"/>
<div class="form-box text-combo">
<div class="form-area"><label for="searchtext_primary" class="hide-offscreen">Search MedlinePlus</label>
<span role="status" aria-live="polite" class="ui-helper-hidden-accessible">
</span><input type="text" aria-haspopup="true" aria-autocomplete="list" role="textbox" autocomplete="off" name="query" size="40" maxlength="400" title="Site Search input" alt="Site Search input" placeholder="Search MedlinePlus" class="form-text ui-autocomplete-input" id="searchtext_primary"/>
</div>
<div class="button-area">
<button type="submit" alt="Search MedlinePlus" title="Search MedlinePlus" class="form-btn">GO</button>
</div>
</div>
</form>
<!-- Secondary Nav
================================================== -->
<div class="secondarynav">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/"><span>About MedlinePlus</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/"><span>What's New</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html"><span>Site Map</span></a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&amp;category=medlineplus&amp;from=//medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Nav Bar
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-nav-bar">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs &amp; Supplements</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<a title="Español" id="mplus-lang-toggle" href="../../spanish/ency/article/002965.htm">Español</a>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<!-- Content
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-content">
<!-- Breadrcumbs -->
<div id="breadcrumbs"><div itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList" itemscope="" itemprop="breadcrumb"><span class="hide-offscreen">You Are Here:</span>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="1"/>
</div>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Medical Encyclopedia</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="2"/>
</div>
</div><div><span>Leg lengthening and shortening</span></div></div>
<span class="page-url print-only">URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002965.htm
</span>
<!-- Article -->
<article><div id="d-article"><div class="page-info"><div class="page-title"><a name="start" id="start">
</a><h1 class="with-also" itemprop="name">Leg lengthening and shortening</h1>
</div><div class="page-actions">
</div>
<noscript>
<span class="js-disabled-message">To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript.</span>
</noscript></div><div class="main"><div id="ency_summary"><p>Leg lengthening and shortening are types of surgery to treat some people who have legs of unequal lengths.</p><p>These procedures may:</p><ul><li>Lengthen an abnormally short leg</li><li>Shorten an abnormally long leg</li><li>Limit growth of a normal leg to allow a short leg to grow to a matching length</li></ul></div><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Description</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-1" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-1"><p>BONE LENGTHENING</p><p>Traditionally, this series of treatments involves several surgeries, a long recovery period, and a number of risks. However, it can add up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of length to a leg.</p><p>The surgery is done under general anesthesia. This means the person is asleep and pain-free during surgery. </p><ul><li>The bone to be lengthened is cut.</li><li>Metal pins or screws are placed through the skin and into the bone. Pins are placed above and below the cut in the bone. Stitches are used to close the wound.</li><li>A metal device is attached to the pins in the bone. It will be used later to very slowly (over months) pull the cut bone apart. This widens the space between the ends of the cut bone that will fill in with new bone. </li></ul><p>When the leg has reached the desired length and has healed, another surgery is done to remove the pins.</p><p>In recent years, several newer techniques have been developed for this procedure. These are based on the traditional leg lengthening surgery, but may be more comfortable or convenient for some people. Ask your surgeon about the different techniques that may be appropriate for you.</p><p>BONE RESECTION OR REMOVAL</p><p>This is a complex surgery that can produce a very accurate amount of change.</p><p>While under general anesthesia:</p><ul><li>The bone to be shortened is cut. A section of bone is removed.</li><li>The ends of the cut bone will be joined. A metal plate with screws or a nail down the center of the bone is placed across the bone to hold it in place during healing. </li></ul><p>BONE GROWTH RESTRICTION</p><p>Bone growth takes place at the growth plates (physes) at each end of <a test="test" href="./002249.htm">long bones</a> in younger people who are still growing.</p><p>The surgeon makes a cut over the growth plate at the end of the bone in the longer leg.</p><ul><li>The growth plate may be destroyed by scraping or drilling it to stop further growth at that growth plate.</li><li>Another method is to insert staples or plates on each side of the bony growth plate. These can be removed when both legs are close to the same length. </li></ul><p>REMOVAL OF IMPLANTED METAL DEVICES</p><p>Metal pins, screws, staples, or plates may be used to hold the bone in place during healing. Most orthopedic surgeons will wait several months to a year before removing any large metal implants. Another surgery is needed to remove the implanted devices. </p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Why the Procedure is Performed</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-2" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-2"><p>Leg lengthening is considered if a person has a large difference in leg length (more than 5 cm or 2 inches). The procedure is more likely to be recommended:</p><ul><li>For children whose bones are still growing</li><li>For people of short stature</li><li>For children that have abnormalities in their growth plate</li><li>For people that had trauma and it resulted in a shortened or lengthened limb</li></ul><p>Leg shortening or restricting is considered for smaller differences in leg length (usually less than 5 cm or 2 inches). Shortening a longer leg may be recommended for children whose bones are no longer growing.</p><p>Bone growth restriction is recommended for children whose bones are still growing. It is used to restrict the growth of a longer bone, while the shorter bone continues to grow to match its length. Proper timing of this treatment is important for best results.</p><p>Certain health conditions can lead to very unequal leg lengths. They include:</p><ul><li>Poliomyelitis</li><li><a test="test" href="./000716.htm">Cerebral palsy</a></li><li>Small, weak muscles or short, tight (spastic) muscles, which may cause problems and prevent normal leg growth</li><li>Hip diseases such as <a test="test" href="./001264.htm">Legg-Perthes disease</a></li><li>Previous injuries or broken bones</li><li>Birth defects (congenital deformities) of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments </li></ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Risks</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-3" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-3"><p>Risks of anesthesia and surgery in general include:</p><ul><li>Allergic reaction to medicines</li><li>Breathing problems</li><li>Bleeding, blood clot, or infection</li></ul><p>Risks of this surgery include:</p><ul><li>Bone growth restriction (epiphysiodesis), which may cause short height</li><li>Bone infection (<a test="test" href="./000437.htm">osteomyelitis</a>)</li><li>Injury to blood vessels</li><li>Poor bone healing</li><li>Nerve damage </li></ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>After the Procedure</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-4" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-4"><p>After bone growth restriction:</p><ul><li>It is common to spend up to a week in the hospital. Sometimes, a cast is placed on the leg for 3 to 4 weeks.</li><li>Healing is complete in 8 to 12 weeks. The person can go back to regular activities at this time. </li></ul><p>After bone shortening:</p><ul><li>It is common for children to spend 2 to 3 days in the hospital. Sometimes, a cast is placed on the leg for 3 to 4 weeks.</li><li>Muscle weakness is common, and muscle strengthening exercises are started soon after surgery.</li><li>Crutches are used for 6 to 8 weeks.</li><li>Some people take 6 to 12 weeks to regain normal knee control and function.</li><li>A metal rod placed inside the bone is removed after 1 year. </li></ul><p>After bone lengthening:</p><ul><li>The person will spend a few days in the hospital.</li><li>Frequent visits to the health care provider are needed to adjust the lengthening device. The amount of time the lengthening device is used depends on the amount of lengthening needed. Physical therapy is needed to maintain normal range of motion.</li><li>Special care of the pins or screws holding the device is needed to prevent infection.</li><li>The amount of time it takes the bone to heal depends on the amount of lengthening. Each centimeter of lengthening takes 36 days of healing. </li></ul><p>Because the blood vessels, muscles, and skin are involved, it is important to check the skin color, temperature, and sensation of the foot and toes frequently. This will help find any damage to blood vessels, muscles, or nerves as early as possible.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Outlook (Prognosis)</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-5" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-5"><p>Bone growth restriction (epiphysiodesis) is most often successful when it is done at the correct time in the growth period. However, it may cause short stature.</p><p>Bone shortening may be more exact than bone restriction, but it requires a much longer recovery period.</p><p>Bone lengthening is completely successful about 4 out of 10 times. It has a much higher rate of complications and need for further surgeries. Joint contractures may occur.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Alternative Names</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Alt" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Alt"><p>Epiphysiodesis; Epiphyseal arrest; Correction of unequal bone length; Bone lengthening; Bone shortening; Femoral lengthening; Femoral shortening</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Images</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-tnails" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div name="Images" class="section-body" id="section-tnails"><ul class="img-grid group">
<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/13971t.jpg" alt="Leg lengthening - series" title="Leg lengthening - series" class="side-img"/><a href="../presentations/100127_1.htm">Leg lengthening - series</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>References</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Ref" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Ref"><p>Davidson RS. Leg-length discrepancy. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. <em>Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics</em>. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 696.</p><p>Kelly DM. Congenital anomalies of the lower extremity. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. <em>Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics</em>. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 29.</p></div></div></section>
<section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Review Date 12/12/2022</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-version" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div>
<div id="section-version" class="section-body"><p>Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.</p>
</div></div></section><section><div class="section ency-citation"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title ency-citation"><div id="citation-how-to"><button><span>Learn how to cite this page</span></button></div></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Related MedlinePlus Health Topics</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-mtp" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div name="Related MedlinePlus Health Topics" class="section-body" id="section-mtp"><ul class="side-nav"><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/leginjuriesanddisorders.html">Leg Injuries and Disorders</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section></div></div></article>
</div>
<footer>
<div class="provider-box group">
<div class="urac-logo">
<a href="https://accreditnet.urac.org/directory/#/certification/HCP-2/info"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/CertifiedSeal.png"/></a>
<p class="urac-logo-info">Health Content Provider<br>06/01/2025</p>
</div>
<p class="adam-info">
<a href='javascript:urac_open();'>A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC</a>, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's <a href='javascript:hwsopen();'>accreditation program</a> is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s <a href='javascript:edpolopen();'>editorial policy, editorial process</a>, and <a href='javascript:ppopen();'>privacy policy</a>. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: <a href='javascript:honc_open();'>verify here</a>.
</p>
</div>
<p class="adam-info">
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997-2025 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
</p>
<div class="adam-logo">
<a href="https://www.adam.com/about" target="_blank"><img width="49" height="10" alt="About A.D.A.M." src="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/ftrAdamlogo.gif"/></a>
</div>
<div id="mplus-footer">
<div class="footer1">
<ul class="secondarynav">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></li>
<li><a name="contact" target="_blank" href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&amp;category=medlineplus&amp;from="><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
<ul class="follow-footer">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/rss.html" class="follow-item">Subscribe to RSS<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/feed.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="RSS" title="RSS"></a></li>
<li><span class="follow-label">Follow us</span>
<a href="https://twitter.com/medlineplus" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_twitter.png" class="follow-icon" alt="X" title="X"></a>
<a href="https://facebook.com/Mplus.gov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_fb.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook"></a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mplusgov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Instagram" title="Instagram"></a>
</li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/social-media-toolkit/" class="social-media-toolkit-item">Social Media Toolkit<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_social_media_toolkit.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="Social Media Toolkit" title="Social Media Toolkit"></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="footer2">
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html" target="_blank">NLM Web Policies</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/usingcontent/" >Copyright</a></li>
<li><a href="//medlineplus.gov/accessibility.html">Accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/criteria/">Guidelines for Links</a></li>
<li><a href="//medlineplus.gov/plugins.html">Viewers &amp; Players</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" target="_blank">HHS Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-connect/">MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/developers/">For Developers</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="address">
<a href="//www.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Library of Medicine</a>
<span>8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894</span>
<a href="//www.hhs.gov" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>
<a href="//www.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>
</div>
<div class="return-top"><a href="#top" title="Return to top"><img class="return-top-icon" alt="Return to top" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/return-top.png"></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div><!-- End Wrap -->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery-3.6.0.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-frontend-controls.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<!--[if lte IE 9]>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery.placeholder.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<![endif]-->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-share.js?id=1112022" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/control.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/ency/ency.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
</body>
</html>