What Is Limb Lengthening?
Limb lengthening operations are surgical procedures performed to correct congenital or acquired differences in leg length or for aesthetic purposes. The procedure creates new bone tissue by slowly separating the bone in a controlled manner.
Limb lengthening operations correct congenital or acquired differences in leg or arm length and increase height for aesthetic purposes. They involve cutting the bone using special techniques (osteotomy) and lengthening it in millimetric increments.
Successful results can be achieved with appropriate patient selection and surgical techniques. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Gökhan Bilgili uses modern techniques in limb lengthening to offer patients the best treatment options.
When Is Limb Lengthening Surgery Performed?
Limb lengthening surgery corrects differences in leg or arm length arising from various causes.
- Congenital Bone Shortening
- Fibular Hemimelia: Underdevelopment or absence of the fibula, the outer lower-leg bone.
- Congenital Femoral Shortening: The thigh bone (femur) is shorter than normal.
- Tibial Hemimelia: Absence or underdevelopment of the tibia (shinbone).
- Traumatic Causes (Shortening after Accidents and Fractures)
- Damage to growth plates caused by bone fractures in childhood.
- Malunited or ununited fractures (malunion, nonunion).
Developmental and Metabolic Diseases
- Achondroplasia: A genetic growth disorder causing dwarfism.
- Rickets: A disorder of bone development caused by vitamin D deficiency.
Height Lengthening for Aesthetic Purposes (Cosmetic Lengthening)
A procedure performed on healthy people who wish to be taller.
Limb Lengthening Methods
- Ilizarov Method: Gradual bone lengthening using a circular fixator.
- Precice Intramedullary Nail: Lengthening from inside the bone using a magnetically controlled nail.
- LON (Lengtheninig Over Nail Method): Lengthening using an external fixator.
- Taylor Spatial Frame: Computer-assisted fixators capable of 3D correction.
Surgery and Recovery
- Surgical Preparation: A detailed patient assessment is performed beforehand.
- Surgery: The bone is cut and lengthening begins.
- Lengthening: 1 mm of lengthening is performed daily (lasting an average of 3-6 months).
- Rehabilitation: Physical therapy and muscle-strengthening programs are provided.
THE LON METHOD
THE PRECICE 2 METHOD
ILIZAROV TECHNIQUES
