A young Edinburgh schoolgirl with one leg shorter than the other has undergone several "agonising" operations to lengthen her limb.
Isla Burns, 13, was born with the unfortunate defect that made one of her legs 8cm shorter than the other, forcing her to walk on one foot while tiptoeing on the other. During her life so far, Isla has undergone ten major operations to try and fix the problem.
The condition, known as Limb Length Discrepancy (LLD) means that Isla's left leg doesn't grow at the same rate as her right. One operation in particular involved her leg being purposely broke and then encased in a metal brace when she was just nine.
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The Record reports how Isla's mum, Annabelle Santini-Sprot is having to watch her daughter go through pain over and over again. Isla's legs are now growing apart again having gone through a growth spurt and will need further lengthening surgery which will be her 11th operation.
Annabelle said: "The lengthening process was awful for Isla, she was in constant pain. She would sob through the physio sessions. It was horrible to watch and not be able to help.
"Thankfully this time they will use an internal rod and not another external brace - but we expect her to experience the same pain and her muscles will need to build up again.
"As a parent, you wish you could wave a magic wand and take it all away, especially when she is facing it again, but at the same time you know it's what's best for her. Now she is older she is also a lot more aware of what is happening so that makes it tougher.
"Isla is always apprehensive in the run up to operations because going through so many operations is exhausting, but she knows she just has to get through it."
At just three months old, Annabelle noticed her daughter's problem starting to manifest and soon after, doctors diagnosed the tot with LLD and she underwent the first of her ten surgeries aged just 18-months-old.
Isla was fitted with a Llizarov brace to make up for the difference in length, with the ring-like structure that is connected through the limb via a number of wires or pins attached to metal rods. Isla was fitted with 26 pins screwed into various points of her leg.
Annabelle continued: "Every day, I had to turn these pins to move the bones further apart, encouraging a 'ghost bone' to grow in between.
"As a mum, this was so difficult to do. No one wants to be the reason their child is in pain. The muscles and tendons grew much quicker than usual due to the accelerated bone growth, so she was in constant pain.
"But it worked, and Isla's leg grew 7cm in just seven weeks. However, when the brace was removed, her leg muscles had forgotten what to do. She spent a full year learning to walk again. Mentally, she found it really tough. For any kid going through a long medical process, it takes its toll."
Isla has grown another 6cm since her recovery around 18 months ago, with her next leg lengthening operation set to take place by the end of the year.
"She is an absolute trooper, but we can't take away from the fact that she has spent so much time in hospital," Annabelle added. "Her leg is covered in scars - a reminder of how difficult her journey has been.
"It's all she's ever known and she's faced tough times but seems to take everything in her stride.
"It's something that has plagued her childhood and she spent some many hours in hospital and that is why the Edinburgh's Children's Hospital Charity is so invaluable. When you're in and out for so many years, they stand out from the mundane and the horrible. They help you to keep going."
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