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RecruitingNCT06156384FitForFranceUpdated Aug 28, 2025

Study to Assess the Pain, Satisfaction, and Quality of Life of Patients With FITBONE® Lengthening Nail

An observational study in Leg Length Inequality, sponsored by Orthofix s.r.l.. Recruiting at 6 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 12 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-08-28.

Sponsored by Orthofix s.r.l. · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Jun 2024; still recruiting 2 years 4 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
45
Ages
12 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study is a prospective observational non-interventional multi-centre cohort study of patients, 12 years or older, initiating a lower limb lengthening procedure with FITBONE and who have a length discrepancy of 30mm or more between the limbs.

The following parameters will be assessed for up to 24 months.

  • Pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Patient Global Assessment (PGA) and Clinical Observer Global Assessment (COGA)
  • Patient satisfaction using the Patient Global Impression of change (PGI-C) scale
  • QoL using the 36-Item Short Form Survey/Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (SF-36/PedsQL)
Read the detailed description

The study period is 24 months post-surgery. Each patient's demographic data, medical history, any relevant concomitant medication, physical examination, range of motion data will be recorded using a standardized case record form after informed consent is provided and the healthcare provider completes a physical examination regarding the patient's conditions and record determination as to whether FITBONE is recommended. The decision to treat, observe, and to include in this observation study is at the discretion of the healthcare provider. This is an observational study and therefore, the participating healthcare provider will manage patients according to the usual clinical practice.

Surgery will be performed according to the standard surgical procedure described previously. Study of Investigational Product(s). Five to ten days after the lengthening nail placement, the lengthening mechanism is operated by transmitting energy necessary for the lengthening from the outside. This period is referred to as the distraction period. The rhythm of lengthening and strict protocol for an individual patient, indicating the daily lengths of lengthening to be applied, are decided by the healthcare provider taking into account all influencing factors. Therefore, the end of the distraction period, bone healing, implant removal, and 6 months post-implant removal may differ by individual. In the event the distraction period is extended by the healthcare provider, the new distraction period will determine the end of the distraction time point. All patients will be followed until the end of the scheduled study period regardless of any change in their treatment or other conditions.

Six visits are planned:

  1. Surgery (baseline)
  2. End of the distraction phase
  3. End of bone healing
  4. Implant removal
  5. 6-month post-removal
  6. 24-month post-surgery The satisfaction will be assessed at implant removal, 6 months post implant removal, and 24 months post-surgery.

The QoL will be assessed at baseline, at 6 months post implant removal, and 24 months post-surgery.

Pain will be assessed at all timepoints. Measurement of pain at the end of the distraction phase, the patient will be requested to report the pain experienced in the past week, at the moment, and during or immediately after the distraction period. At other time points, pain for only at the moment will be captured.

Range of motion (ROM) will be measured at the end of bone healing, and at the 24 months post-surgery.

Lengthening achieved will be measured at the end of bone healing. Any incidence of adverse events will be recorded at any point during the 24-month follow-up period.

02

Conditions studied

  • Leg Length Inequality

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Keywords

  • Fitbone
  • LLD
  • Bone lengthening
  • Nail
  • Nailing
  • Intramedullary nailing
  • Intramedullary nail
  • Motorized Nail
03

In context

Leg Length Inequality

30 studies on the registry are indexed under Leg Length Inequality; 2 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 45 is below the median of 90 across 11 observational studies indexed under Leg Length Inequality.

Browse Leg Length Inequality studies →

Lead sponsor

Orthofix s.r.l. is the lead sponsor of 10 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
12 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

The aim of the study is to have a representative population of FITBONE patients in France, who are cimpliant with the inclusion criteria, during the 1 year enrollment period. Any centre in France that uses FITBONE in their routine clinical practice will be invited and have the opportunity to participate in this study. All centres must systematically and without exception offer every patient being implanted with FITBONE the opportunity to participate in the study, limiting selection bias and increasing the representativeness of this study to the French population.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients aged ≥12 years old, with congenital or acquired lower limb discrepancy greater than 30mm, undergoing femoral or tibia bone lengthening with FITBONE
  • Patients with a regular indication for a surgical intervention with FITBONE according to manufacturer IFU
  • The patient (or his/her legally acceptable representative) is capable of understanding the content of the Form (ICF)
  • The informed consent form is correctly obtained

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with a medical condition that is according to the FITBONE instruction for use.
  • Patients with any conditions that, in the Investigator's opinion, may interfere with the study execution, including those likely to be lost to follow-up.
  • Patients who have any conditions or medical condition that, in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with the study's execution or in which the patient should not participate for safety reasons.
  • Patients requiring the application of or have already in-situ concomitant devices that cannot be safely removed (except for permitted concomitant devices).
  • Patients participating in other clinical or have taken part in any clinical study in the last 3 months.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
45 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Patients

    Patients aged ≥12 years with congenital or acquired lower limb discrepancy, greater than 30mm

    Device: FITBONE® Lengthening Nail

Interventions

  • DeviceFITBONE® Lengthening Nail

    The patient is installed on a standard orthopaedic table, intramedullary reaming is performed through a metal working tube. The osteotomy is performed percutaneously and then an osteotome according to the postage-stamp technique. Once the FITBONE lengthening nail is placed in the desired location, it should be connected to the subcutaneous receiver. The receiver should be placed close enough to the skin surface to ensure the energy transfer from the external transmitter. After 5 to 10 days after surgery, the lengthening mechanism is operated by the patient, using the transmitter. An elongation of approximately 1 mm/day takes place. The attending physician determines the rhythm of lengthening in each case. When the desired elongation length is reached, the consolidation phase begins, which is necessary for bone regeneration. The FITBONE lengthening nail can be removed once the bone has consolidated, approximately one to one and a half years after implantation.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Describe Patients' Pain by Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

    Pain will be measured by the Pain by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), performed by the patient, through the Patient Global Evaluation Assessment and by the physician (Clinical Observer Global Assessment). The VAS for pain ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 representing no pain and 10 representing the worst imaginable pain.

    Time frame: at 6 months after implant removal date and at 24 months follow-up

  2. Describe Patients' patient Quality of Life (QoL) using Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) for adult patients and PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) Generic Core Scale for children patients.

    The Quality of Life (QoL) will be measured by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) or PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) Generic Core Scale, depending on the patient's age at enrolment: SF-36 for adults and PedsQl for children. Short Form 36 Health Survey has two components: Physical Component Summary (PCS) Minimum 0, Maximum 100; Mental Component Summary (MCS) Minimum 0, Maximum 100. Higher scores on both the Physical and Mental Component Summary scales indicate a better outcome, reflecting better health-related quality of life. The PedsQL Generic Core Scales are scored on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life and 0 represents the worst health-related quality of life.

    Time frame: at 6 months after implant removal date and at 24 months follow-up

  3. Describe Patients' satisfaction

    A dedicated patients satisfaction questionnaire has been developed with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and expert groups on the limb leg discrepancy treatment. The satisfaction questionnaire is made of 5 questions, for each question the patient have to reply using the Patient Global Impression of change ranging from 1 to 7, with 1 representing Very much improved; to 7 being Very much worse.

    Time frame: at 6 months after implant removal date and at 24 months follow-up

Secondary outcomes

  1. Monitor the clinical safety of Fitbone by collecting and characterizing the complications, expressed as adverse events and device deficiencies, associated with FITBONE

    The clinical safety of Fitbone will be measured Collecting and characterizing the complications (expressed as adverse events and device deficiencies) associated with FITBONE that will be assessed by the investigators.

    Time frame: from surgery to 24 months follow-up

  2. Effectiveness of Fitbone by limb lengthening

    The lengthening goal is considered 'achieved' when, at the end of bone healing, the limb length is within 5 mm of the lengthening objective defined by the investigator when using FITBONE.

    Time frame: at the end of bone healing, approximately 6 months

  3. Assess satisfaction evolution at implant removal , 6 months after Fitbone removal and at 24 months after surgery

    A dedicated patients satisfaction questionnaire has been developed with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and expert groups on the limb leg discrepancy treatment. The satisfaction questionnaire is made of 5 questions, for each question the patient have to reply using the Patient Global Impression of change ranging from 1 to 7, with 1 representing "Very much improved" to 7 being "Very much worse".

    Time frame: from surgery to 24 months follow-up

  4. Describe evolution of QoL at 6 months after Fitbone removal and at 24 months after surgery, compared to baseline

    The Quality of Life (QoL) will be measured by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) or PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) Generic Core Scale, depending on the patient's age at enrolment: SF-36 for adults and PedsQl for children. Short Form 36 Health Survey has two components: Physical Component Summary (PCS) Minimum 0, Maximum 100; Mental Component Summary (MCS) Minimum 0, Maximum 100. Higher scores on both the Physical and Mental Component Summary scales indicate a better outcome, reflecting better health-related quality of life. The PedsQL Generic Core Scales are scored on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life and 0 represents the worst health-related quality of life.

    Time frame: from surgery to 24 months follow-up

  5. Describe pain at each visit using VAS

    Pain will be measured by the Pain by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), performed by the patient, through the Patient Global Evaluation Assessment and by the physician (Clinical Observer Global Assessment). The VAS for pain ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 representing no pain and 10 representing the worst imaginable pain.

    Time frame: from surgery to 24 months follow-up

  6. Describe patients Range Of Motion (ROM in degrees) evolution at end of bone healing and at 24 months after surgery compared to baseline

    The knee range of motion will measured in degree Difference in the range of motion through the passive extension before surgery (baseline) to the end of bone healing, and at 24 months post-surgery

    Time frame: from surgery to 24 months follow-up

07

Study locations

6 of 6 sites recruiting
  • CHU de Saint-Étienne Hôpital Nord
    Saint-Etienne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 42270, France
    Recruiting
    • Hassan Al Khoury Salem, MD · Contact
    • Hassan Al Khoury Salem, MD · Principal investigator
  • CHU de Strasbourg
    Strasbourg, Grand Est 67091, France
    Recruiting
    • Ludovic Paul Schneider, MD · Contact
    • Ludovic Paul Schneider, MD · Principal investigator
  • CHU Lille - Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre
    Lille, Hauts-de-France 59120, France
    Recruiting
    • Damien Fron, MD · Contact
    • Damien Fron, MD · Principal investigator
  • Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Toulouse
    Toulouse, Occitanie 31300, France
    Recruiting
    • Franck Accadbled, Prof. · Contact
    • Franck Accadbled, Prof. · Principal investigator
  • Hôpital Sainte-Marguerite AP-HM
    Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region 13274, France
    Recruiting
    • Maxime Fabre-Aubrespy, MD · Contact
    • Maxime Fabre-Aubrespy, MD · Principal investigator
  • CHU de La Réunion site Sud Saint-Pierre
    Saint-Pierre, La Réunion 97448, Reunion
    Recruiting
    • Jean Christophe Ruzic, MD · Contact
    • Jean Christophe Ruzic, MD · Principal investigator
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 28, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06156384
Lead sponsor
Orthofix s.r.l.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 5, 2023
Start date
Jun 18, 2024
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 30, 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 28, 2025

Study contacts

Tommaso Marano
Contact
tommasomarano@orthofix.it
+39 0456719000
Daniela Cangiano
Contact
danielacangiano@orthofix.it
+39 0456719000
Franck Accadbled, Prof.
principal investigator · Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Toulouse
Maxime Fabre-Aubrespy, MD
principal investigator · Hôpital Sainte-Marguerite AP-HM
Damien Fron, MD
principal investigator · CHU Lille
Jean-Christophe Ruzic, MD
principal investigator · CHU de La Réunion site Sud Saint-Pierre
Hassan Al Khoury Salem, MD
principal investigator · CHU de Saint-Étienne Hôpital Nord
Ludovic Paul Schneider, MD
principal investigator · CHU de Strasbourg

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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