Leg Lengthening Surgery, Its Cost, and Risk | Leg lengthening surgery is a Cosmetic Enhancement. The leg-lengthening surgery is also referred to as limb lengthening surgery. In spite of its growing popularity among short men who want to go for the surgery, still has a long way to go.
The surgery that is done for the lengthening is known as ‘Ilizarov procedure’. The ability of our body to regenerate soft tissues and bones is utilized by the Limb lengthening procedure. The surgery requires special expertise within the field. It works on various principles performed by “Orthopaedic Surgeons” all over the world.
The ‘Illizarov Procedure’ which is the correction of the ‘deformity of limb’ and lengthening is based on the principle of ‘distraction osteogenesis’. Most men nowadays are opting for this surgery because of their growing wish to become taller. The surgery is basically done to correct any kind of birth defects of limb deformity or limb length discrepancies (LLD)
Leg Lengthening Surgery, Its Cost, and Risk
Patients requiring leg lengthening surgery are :
1) multiple tibial bone fracture deformities
2) dwarfism
3) Klippel trennauney syndrome.
4) diseases or injuries
5) hip correction
6) defective sear tissues that restrict usual functioning and movement of limbs.
Experienced and highly trained Orthopaedic Surgeons perform this surgery. The process is not an easy job, very painful and intensely tiresome. The procedure is worldwide controversial and even banned from several countries. Unlike countries like China, Korea, America, Russia, where leg lengthening is gaining popularity.
Leg lengthening procedure:
The process of Limb lengthening is not for weak of heart. The orthopedic surgeons utilize that techniques, mainly-
A. Ilizarov principles
B. Taylor Spatial Frames and Intramedullary nailing technique.
Process of surgery
First step: At first a small incision is made by the surgeon on the bone to be lengthened.
Second step: A telescoping rod is directly inserted into the cartilage to stabilize the limb. It can be either an internal or external fixation device.
Third step: The patient has to stay in the hospital for a day or two. The joint mobility is the very important part of the lengthening of bone which generally begins in 5 to 10 days post surgery.
Fourth step: during the distraction phase which is a period of 3 months, the rod slowly pulls the bone apart to 1 mm a day. The fixator or the rod adjusts on a daily basis. Due to the ‘Collagen remodeling post-traumatic’ the empty space or the gap between the cut bone starts healing and a new bone forms.
Fifth step: Throughout 3 months the patient is continuously examined to assess bone growth, by X-rays and to detect any chance of infection at the pin site.
Sixth step: During the ‘consolidation period’ after the bone starts healing and a new bone is formed fixator adjustment will stop. Unless the new bone is completely healed the fixator would not be removed.
Seventh step: After the confirmation on X-rays about complete heal and successful leg lengthening the fixator can be removed.
FROM WHERE IT BEGAN:
Ilizarov was the pioneer of leg lengthening surgery. During the Second World War professor, Ilizarov treated a number of patients after they returned from World War 2 in western Siberia suffering from a sustained fracture. It is then when he started experimenting with the ‘external fixation’ method. At the same time discovered the ‘distraction osteogenesis’.
In the following year, he operated Olympic high jumper, Valery Brumel in 1968, which earned him a lot of praises. The surgery brought recognition to Ilizarov within the Soviet Union. Gavril Ilizarov was the inventor of the external fixator. A device that pulls apart the bone manually to increase height in patients. Ilizarov mechanism invented in 1954 causes a significant pain even now. On the basis of Ilizarov’s principal of leg lengthening principles modern days surgeries are carried on.
HOW MUCH HEIGHT CAN BE IMPROVED BY LEG LENGTHENING SURGERY:
The maximum length that can be covered or overcome by surgery is up to 5 cm. In Korea where it decides ones professional success of a person, surgeons operate with a promise to increase height to 5″. Mostly on an average 2″-3″ can be increased, but a patient from New York reported to a rationale that his height increase to 6″ due to cosmetic enhancement. The consolidation phase or Leg Lengthening phase takes 5 to 6 months to heal completely.
ADVANTAGES OF LEG LENGTHENING SURGERY:
1. It’s a dream come true. No guesswork for the fact that the outcome is full of surety. The height will certainly increase by leg lengthening surgery.
2. Increasing self-esteem and confidence. There has been an inclination of the world towards tall people. They are admired and loved by many. Flaunting your height in front of others will give you a sense of self-esteem.
3. Helps in professional benefits by earning you respect.
RISK FACTORS AND DISADVANTAGES OF LEG LENGTHENING SURGERY:
1. The surgeon should be an expert in his field. Without a thorough experience of the cross-sectional anatomy of the extremity, the neurovascular damage is inevitable.
2. Due to risk and complication post-surgery outcome is not satisfactory.
3. Several repeated surgical procedure may be needed.
4. Causes damage and adverse effect on neurovascular structures.
5. Pain, bleeding that can result in Haematoma or compartment syndrome, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and nerve injury as a result of stretching.
6. Complications created by pin site infection.
7. The high expense for the surgery makes it unaffordable.
8. Intolerable pain post leg lengthening surgery is too much to cope up with. Many patients regretted the surgery due to this unbearable pain.
9. Bedridden for 3 months creates an emotional setback for the patients. Dependency on others may become a liability.
THE LEG LENGTHENING SURGERY COST:
NATION HEIGHT EXPECTED APPROXIMATE COST
THAILAND 2″, One limb USD 27000
CHINA 3.1″ USD 26100
SINGAPORE 2 – 2.5″ Fitbone- USD 49,050 ISKD- USD 33,650 . External- USD 27,150
FRANCE Close to 4″ Surgery- USD 47500. Personal trainer- USD 23700
SYRIA 3.9″ USD 15000
RUSSIA 3.9″ USD 16000
USA Safe limits: Approx 2″ femur & 2″ tibia. Surgery- USD 68000. Personal training-USD15000
UKRAINE Thighs 2.7″, Shins 2″, reliable and optimal Thighs- USD 32,480 , Shins- USD 29,700
GERMANY 1.96″ / femur or tibia = Total 3.92″ USD 47500 – 64000 or Nail Lengthening (USD 35600)
ITALY 3.15″ USD 21500
BRAZIL 1.96″ tibia & 2.36″ femur. USD 50,000 to 60,000
INDIA 2.36″ to 3.15″ USD 2250 – 3700
WORLD’S BEST PLACES FOR LEG LENGTHENING SURGERY:
Centers in the USA
1. ‘Paley Orthopaedic and spine institute’ in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
2. ‘Florida Hospital’, Orlando, Florida, USA.
3. Dr. Janet Conway (Baltimore, USA) ‘Rubin Institute for advanced orthopedics’.
4. Dr.Dror Paley (Florida, USA) ‘Paley advanced Limb lengthening Institute’.
5. Dr. Jean Cole(Orlando Florida, USA)
6. Dr. Shahab Mahboubian (Hollywood CA, USA). ‘Limb lengthening Institute’.
7. Dr. William Terrel, (USA).
8. Dr. Saurabh Khakharia(Georgia, USA)
9. Dr. Robert Rozbruch( (New York City, New York)
Centers in Russia
1. ‘Russian Ilizarov scientific center’ (Kurgan Russia).
2. Dr.Leonid N. Solomin(St Petersburg, Russia)
3. Dr. Barinov (Volgograd, Russia) ‘Centre of anthropometrical cosmetology’.
4. Dr. Bagirov (Moscow, Russia) ‘clinicanomer 1’.
Centers in India
1. Dr. Suhas Shah (Mumbai, India) ‘Ashwinii Accident Hospital’.
2. Dr. Manish Dhawan (New Delhi, India) ‘Sir Ganga Ram Hospital’.
3. Dr. Navin Talwar (New Delhi, India) ‘Rockland Hospitals’.
4. ‘Indian spinal injuries’ (New Delhi, India).
5. Dr. B.S.Murthy (New Delhi, India) ‘Max Super Speciality Hospital’.
Centers in Korea
1. Dr.Hae-Ryong Song(Korea University Medical Centre Guro Hospital).
2. ‘New Born Orthopedics’ (Seoul, Korea).
3. Dr.Donghoon Lee(Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) ‘Bundang CHA Hospital’.
Centers in China
1. Dr. Aimin Peng, ‘China rehabilitation Hospital’, Beijing.
2. Dr. Xia and Dr.Li (Beijing, China) ‘Institute of External Fixation Technology’.
3. Dr. Bai Helong and Dr. Ruan Yude (Harbin, China) ‘Hospital of Harbin’.
“Height Dysphoria” one of the rarest mental disorder can only be cured by a knife. It may sound desperate for short men but that’s the truth. The controversy lies in the people, who are undergoing such painful and expensive leg lengthening surgery in order to make themselves taller and their pocket thinner to become attractively tall.
Leg Lengthening Surgery, Its Cost, and Risk
