“There is no limit to perfection” - this is what women have said, are saying and will say, all the time trying to fix something in their appearance. Today's technology has come to the point that leg lengthening surgery is not considered a surprise, although not many are at such a risk. Often these are girls who are unhappy with their growth, or people who have special indications. About how this procedure is carried out, and what its consequences may be, next.
Features of the operation to lengthen the legs
Many representatives of the fair sex decide on a similar procedure, not suspecting what its consequences may be. In fact, surgery to lengthen the limbs is a long and painful process. If this information was owned by everyone who wants to increase the length of their legs, then such people would be much smaller.
Specialists distinguish such indications for this operation:
- Leg lengthening surgery is necessary for open fractures of the lower leg, which are accompanied by serious complications.
- Also, this procedure is recommended for curvature of the legs.
- Surgical intervention to change the length of the limbs is necessary when they are of different sizes from birth.
- After prosthetics of joints.
- If there is a pronounced lameness.
A bit about cosmetic orthopedics
Cosmetic orthopedics is a branch of surgery involved in surgical intervention in the structure of the musculoskeletal system of a patient who wants to change limb parameters. Special indications for such operations to lengthen the legs, as a rule, do not exist.
Today there are such types of orthopedic operations:
- Changing the shape, length and width of the foot.
- Elimination of curvature of the legs.
- Elongation of the femur or lower leg.
Often, experts see no particular reason to resort to such an operation. While the patient himself sees in himself such disadvantages:
- Crooked legs. Often people who seek help for surgery are not very pronounced. However, many consider operation the only way out.
- Big foot size. Today, manufacturers take into account the parameters of the legs of the current "Cinderella" and sew from 36 to 41. However, this does not stop some beauties who want to be several centimeters higher.
- Model parameters today many girls are forced to change their appearance: to increase lips, adjust the shape of the nose, as well as the length of the legs. However, in this case, high growth and small foot size are incompatible, then the young ladies have certain problems with the proportions in the body, and, accordingly, their health.
Surgical leg lengthening
Surgery to increase the length of the limbs is usually performed in several ways.
- Intraosseous. This method involves screwing a special implant into the bone channel of the patient’s limbs, which will be further extended. Inside this device is attached to the bones. The implants used in such an operation are of high quality and expensive. Therefore, the procedure itself can reach 80 thousand euros. In our area, it is known as leg lengthening using Bliskunov’s surgery.
- The transdermal method is known in that the patient's legs are fixed with knitting needles, which are attached to the bones, and are held on special devices resembling large rings. They, in turn, are interconnected by rods, which subsequently allow to perform the main function of this design - elongation.
About such an operation for lengthening the legs, reviews are different. Some survived the process well, others with serious complications. This method of adding growth is considered safer than the previous one. In addition, its cost is also much lower - 10-15 thousand euros. Such an operation is performed on the entire Ilizarov apparatus - a proven domestic device that has long been widely used in orthopedics.
Cell division
All operations that should result in limb lengthening are based on a process called osteosynthesis.
Before osteosynthesis, an important and very complex process takes place called osteotomy (bone fracture). Therefore, it is important for those who decide on such a step to know: before the legs are extended in length, they are drilled and then broken. This leg lengthening operation does not affect the bone marrow.
After this, the long healing process of the limb begins. Along with this, patients often encounter:
- with uneven fusion;
- severe pain after surgery;
- long healing wounds;
- scarring.
Many believe that healing of the extremities with elongation is much faster than with a conventional fracture. This is not true! Since this procedure requires daily intervention, which violates the integrity of tissues and cells.
Operation on Ilizarov’s apparatus
Surgery in this way involves general or local anesthesia. A few days after the main manipulations, the patient can move around with crutches or special stilts.
The process of lengthening the limbs on the Ilizarov apparatus occurs in a week. This method of increasing the length of the limbs allows the patient to become higher by 7 centimeters (with lengthening of the shin), up to 10 centimeters (with lengthening of the femur).
Most often, the Ilizarov apparatus is used to lengthen the tibia. Experts advise carrying out a thigh extension in length using the Bliskunov method.
To increase your height by several centimeters, you need to spend more than two months. During this time, doctors will conduct daily distraction.
How long does the whole process take
After the process is completed, the patient will have a long course of rehabilitation.
First, specialists must remove the device, which is a very painful and unpleasant procedure. Then the limbs are placed in plaster, and a person can only move with crutches or stilts. After removing the cast, the patient will undergo a rehabilitation course with the implementation of complex exercises. Often this period takes from three to six months. Before and after surgery to lengthen the legs, a person feels completely different.