Lengthening surgery

It is an orthopedic surgical procedure to increase the length of the leg for health problems or aesthetic reasons. The surgery, which can be applied not only to the legs but also to the arms, is performed by cutting the bone that is planned to be stretched and using an external or internal fixator to widen the space between the bisected ends. Every day, as the bone in space, which expands in a very small amount, is stretched, new bone is produced in the open area. Growth in height is achieved by the body’s own bone, the soft tissues, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves that surround and support it, as well as the body’s ability to form new bone. There is no need to take bone from another part of the body. The stretch is done very slowly to avoid damage to muscles, nerves, connective tissues and blood vessels, and the bone gap is widened by approximately 1mm every day. Physical therapy can also be used to adapt the bones to the stretch. In patients who wish to undergo this operation, which is mainly performed for therapeutic purposes, for aesthetic reasons, psychiatric evaluation is first applied and the operation is planned for suitable patients. The growth plates must be closed to perform an elongation surgery. In individuals who wish to increase their height for aesthetic reasons, growth plates that close at the age of 18-20 should be expected. Therefore, it can be said that the best period for the operation is after 20 years. The lower limit for lengthening interventions applied for therapeutic purposes was determined in 3 years. Surgery to increase height can be performed after 3 years of age in children of short stature or dwarfism due to various health problems. In these patients, the operation is usually performed in two or three stages. In interventions performed after the age of 10, the procedure can be performed in a single session, depending on the patient’s condition. With frequently applied stretching techniques, it is possible to achieve an extension of 7-10 cm in length. This lengthening takes about two months. Using appropriate techniques, patients can increase in height by up to 6 inches by performing a
surgery on both the thigh and tibia.