Limb Lengthening Surgery

Want to Get Rid of Short Stature?

Tired of using high insoles or heels to look taller?

What is Limb Lengthening Surgery?

Lengthening surgery; It is an orthopedic surgery performed to treat short stature caused by genetic, hormonal or environmental factors. Lengthening surgery can be applied to treat health problems or to eliminate aesthetic concerns.

Most people who want lengthening surgery are not satisfied with their body appearance. Short stature may cause psychosocial stress that the person can’t overcome, resulting in physical and psychosocial disability. Lengthening surgery provides the person with the opportunity to reach the desired height.

Lengthening surgery is actually the process of extending both legs at the same time. Leg length can be increased by lengthening the shinbone (tibia), thigh bone (femur), or both. As bone tissue lengthens, vessels, nerves, muscles and other tissues lengthen together.

No matter what technique is used for lengthening surgeries, they are all performed according to the principles of distraction osteogenesis. Basically, the bone is osteotomized (the surgical fracture of the bone) from its proper place. It is expected for the formation of soft bone tissue in the first 5-7 days. Afterwards, a lengthening of 1 mm per day is performed. After the lengthening is completed, the period of formation of the new bone which we call the consolidation phase begins.

What are the Methods of Limb Lengthening Surgery?

LON Method (LON: Lengthening Over Nails)

In the combined method, after the bone is osteotomized, an intramedullary nail used for normal fractures is inserted into the bone and an external fixator, which we call a rail system, is placed on the side of the leg to lengthen it. Only one end of the nail is attached to the bone with screws. One day after the surgery, you will start walking with two crutches under the supervision of your doctor. It is waited for 5 or 7 days for the formation of soft bone tissue in the fracture area. After the waiting period is completed, your doctor will teach you how to lengthen 1 mm per day with an external fixator.

In general, a treatment program will be drawn up for you, with 0.25 mm elongation 4 times a day. After the lengthening is completed, it is taken back to the operating room, locking screws are attached to the other end of the intramedullary nail and the external fixator is removed. During this period, you should do the recommended exercises regularly to increase the range of motion of the knee, ankle and hip joint.

Precice 2 Method

By placing a magnetic nail into the bone, lengthening is performed with the remote control method. It is a comfortable system in limb lengthening surgery and nothing is visible from the outside. The procedure performed with small incisions results in minimal surgical scars and satisfies patients with aesthetic concerns.

The risk of infection is lower. After the 10th day, the patient doesn’t require dressing and can do his/her social activities. While the lengthening is 0.25 mm 4 times a day in the combined method, it is 0.33 mm 3 times in the precice method. The disadvantage is that it requires the use of a wheelchair during the treatment period, since the cost is higher and it doesn’t guarantee the full weight of the body.

How Much Taller can Height Surgery Make You?

The amount of lengthening can be planned to be between about 5-12 cm. This amount of lengthening is determined together with the patient by examining the patient's body characteristics, target height, trunk-leg length ratio. The ideal extension from the shin bone (tibia) is 5-6 cm and 8 cm from the thigh bone (femur).

How Long is the Hospital Stay After the Surgery?

The average hospital stay is 5 days (2-7 days). Surgery and recovery time may vary depending on the patient's condition.

Is Physical Therapy Necessary After Surgery?

Rehabilitation begins immediately after waking up from surgery. The patient should stand up and start walking with the help of crutches or a walker within the first 24 hours. During the lengthening and bone formation period, you should receive physical therapy. In the first 3 weeks, the patient is taught the exercises to do, how to walk and the exercises to be done during the day by a physiotherapist and your doctor. When the patient learns the exercises and adapts in the 3rd week, the patient can go to the city where he lives.

How Long Does the Treatment Take in Lengthening Surgery?

Although it varies according to the lengthening, the treatment is completed in a time equal to the value of the lengthening in months. That is, a 6-month treatment period should be calculated for 6 cm elongation.

What are the Risks in Limb Lengthening Surgery?

Apart from the risks of anesthesia and surgery that can be seen in all surgeries, vascular clots (embolism), infection, joint stiffness, pain due to nerve strains are among possible complications, albeit at very low rates. In order to avoid complications during and after the surgery, patients should stop using alcohol and smoking. In addition, steroids and diuretic drugs should be discontinued before surgery.

With this process you have achieved at the end of the treatment, we recommend that you prepare for shopping to renew your wardrobe.