Lengthening Surgery
The surgical method applied to people who want to lengthen their legs due to aesthetic anxiety or health problems is called lengthening surgery. The basic phenomenon in lengthening surgery is to expand the capacity of people to form new bone.
During this surgical operation, it is essential to widen the space between the leg bons, which are divided into two parts, by cutting the bone in the limb that is desired to be lengthened. In this way, it is ensured that new bone production is realized in the opened area.
What is lengthening Surgery?
In individuals whose growth plates have closed, that is, growth has stopped, the surgical operation that is sometimes performed for aesthetic purposes is called lengthening surgery and is generally used for legs.
However, if the aesthetic concern is in the arms and the arms are shorter than they should be, it is a surgical method applied in the arms. Lengthening surgery is a procedure performed only on bones. Different techniques are applied according to the desired amount of lengthening.
How is Length Extension Surgery Performed?
Lengthening surgery, which is preferred for people who want to increase their height, is a set of surgical methods that can be applied outside the bone as well as inside the bone. This method, which is basically done to prepare the ground for the patient’s new bone formation, is provided to fix the operated limb with an external mechanism with a nail or wire placed inside the bones.
In this way, with the device fixed from the outside, the gap between the bones is maximum 1 mm every day. This is usually done in 4 stages, although no more than 1 mm per day. This ensures a maximum clearance of a quarter mm at a time.
This surgery is performed by orthopedic specialists. Although lengthening surgery is performed under general anesthesia, epidural anesthesia can also be preferred according to the request of adult patients.
To Whom Is The Lengthening Surgery Applied?
Many people who suffer from height turn to lengthening surgery methods. It is preferred by people who complain about the height of the operation, have hormonal disorders or do not increase in height due to some health problems. Although this situation is left to the will of the person, it can generally be much more suitable for individuals over the age of 20. Because the development process can continue until this age.
Why is Length Extension Surgery Performed?
Some people are faced with problems such as being short in stature, which is thought to be of genetic origin and either due to hormonal disorders or due to some diseases that were experienced during childhood. There may be a number of factors that cause short stature. These factors are;
- Nutritional disorders,
- Some kidney disorders in childhood,
- Childhood diseases that negatively affect growth,
- Experiencing hormonal disorders,
- Some genetic disorders that have an effect on bones.
Lengthening surgery is preferred in cases called dwarfism in general. Although it is preferred for dwarfism, it is a method of lengthening also used for short stature due to other diseases. The surgery can be performed on any individual whose growth cartilages are closed. However, if people want to have this procedure for cosmetic purposes, they can be subjected to some psychological tests.
In cases where people complain about their height, preferred lengthening surgeries are performed with different methods. Lengthening surgery is of 3 types. These;
- Motorized nail method called Internal Fixation,
- Ilizarov technique called External Fixation,
- It is carried out with the combined method.
Previously, the most preferred lengthening surgery method was external fixation, that is, the ilizarov technique, but with the advancement of technology and science, more interfal fixation has begun to be used. Because in external fixation, the limb that is desired to be extended is to be managed with an external machine, while in the method called internal fixation, it has become possible to place the device with a small incision and control it with an external command. In the combined technique, both methods are used.
How Long Is the Recovery Time for Lengthening Surgery?
The most curious element in lengthening surgery is the healing process. Since lengthening surgery is a personal surgical procedure, the healing process may differ from person to person. Since there is new bone formation in people, the recovery process may be longer for adults in the second stage, which is called the consolidation process. The recovery rate in children is usually 2 times faster than in adults.
How Long Does the Lengthening Surgery Take?
Surgical procedures performed for the purpose of lengthening generally take about 2 hours. However, lengthening surgery can take around 3 hours in some cases. In order to minimize the risk of any complication, the patient is hospitalized for approximately 2 days.
If no problem occurs, the patient is discharged as a result of this process. After that, the duration of the full recovery varies according to the surgical methods used and the condition of the patient. Here, how many cm the patient’s height will be extended is also a big factor.
How Many Cm Does the Lengthening Surgery Extend?
Many people wonder how many cm they will grow after the lengthening surgery. After the lengthening surgery, it becomes possible to increase the height between 7 and 10 cm. However, this may vary depending on the problem. In addition, in some cases, it is possible to increase the height up to 15 cm as a result of this surgery. However, a number of operations must be performed on both the shin and thigh bone for a height increase of more than 10 cm. This operation is planned completely individually and the results vary according to the methods applied.
What are the Risks of Lengthening Surgery?
There may be some risks during and after lengthening surgeries. After people decide on the lengthening surgery process, doctors should provide detailed information about this situation. In lengthening surgeries, there are different risks such as infection risks, material risks and post-operative risks.
The Risks of Infections is one of the possibilities that can be involved in any Height Extension surgery. Because soft tissue or bone infection may develop. For this situation, the use of antibiotics after surgery is very important.
On the other hand, there are some problems such as material infection, loosening and breaking of the machine attached to the leg for some reasons. Depending on this situation, some problems may arise. Post-operative infections, severe pain in the limb or problems such as ballerina syndrome may occur.
Lengthening Surgery Prices 2022
Surgical interventions are used to increase height in Turkey and in many parts of the world. The most determining factor in the price of lengthening surgery is the doctor who will perform the procedure. Because every doctor may not use the same method as each other. In addition, the experience and experience of the doctors, as well as the percentage of success, affect the prices to a great extent.
Apart from this, it also varies according to the institution where the surgery is performed. Lengthening surgeries can also be performed by some state hospitals. However, they also have some conditions. In private hospitals, the price of lengthening surgery varies completely.
