Operation to increase height(Illizalov)
- Circular System
- Bone Fixation by wire
- Rigid and strong
- No limitation adjustment
- Assembly by the patient problems
- 90% reusable
Height is influenced by many factors, including race, genetic inheritance, diet, and exercise. Many people are not psychologically satisfied with their height, though the degree is individual. Previously, operative intervention to increase height was indicated only for those patients who had unequal leg lengths, but now this operation is available for cosmetic reasons.
Limb lengthening began 50 years ago when a Russian orthopedic surgeon, Gavriil A Ilizarov found that he divided the long bones without destroying the periosteum and increased the gap between the segments in a gradual way, new bone formation would occur. Even when the gap could be more than 20 cm. This solved many orthopedic problems such as limb length discrepancy, bone loss by an accident, bone tumor or bone infection which required bone resection.
Following division of the long bone, external fixators are applied to the two segments to hold them steady and allow gradual separation of them to be applied. This is continued until the desired limb length has been achieved. Rehabilitation and physiotherapy is also required during this process.
Lengthening is not a speedy process, and people who undergo this operation have to realize the length of time is relative to the increase in length of the bone. The amount of bone lengthening is 1 mm per day and the time required for bone strengthening is approximately twice that of the lengthening period. For example, if a patient desires 3 cm extra, he needs 30 days for lengthening the bone and 60 days for strengthening, making a total of 90 days. In conclusion, approximately 1 month for 1 centimeter.
The Ilizarov external fixator is a system composed of ring frames around the patient's leg along the bone length and fixed to the bone by wires. The distance between the rings can be increased daily. The fixators are not comfortable, but this is an inconvenience that well adjusted patients understand is necessary for them to attain the desired height increase.
If the height increase is to be more than 5 cm, it is necessary to lengthen both the thigh bone and the lower leg, requiring four procedures. If the increase is less than 5 cm, only the lower leg will require operation.
From the cosmetic point of view, this is a procedure that is worth the time and the expense if it can give the patient new confidence which comes with their new height.
1. Brief introduction
Some adult may be short in their height because of heredity, bone stunk or nanism. By the mechanism of biological adaptability, principle of bone regeneration, taking advantage of the external fixation to stretch the bone and soft tissue such as nerve, blood vessel, etc, these people or others who need higher stature can get their target of increasing height.
If a person is suffering the knee varus or ecstrophy, he should accept the orthopeady as earlier as possible in order to recover the knee function. Meanwhile, he can also increase his height.
Height Increasing Operation is a method of orthopeady and cosmetology. By a simple operation, a set of limb lengthening equipment is installed on the leg and then the leg is gradually lengthened. The method is developed based on the technology of treating un-equal length of legs taking advantage of external skeletal fixation technology. Although Height Increasing Operation stems from “Limb Lengthening Operation”, there is an essential distinction between the both. The former is cosmetology, means making one person more beautiful, but the later is medical treatment. The former is strict with the integrated image, articulation function, and even the cosmesis of skin, besides the exact height. “Height Increasing Operation” is not simple as the “Limb Lengthening Operation”. It must be more scientific and reliable, it is the combination of “Limb Lengthening Operation” and cosmetology. By adopting some correlation technologies, a new Height Increasing Operation system has been established. The safety and reliability are also strongly increased. Serious complications are eradicated. Common complications such as infection of pin holes are considerably decreased to the lowest. The scar of incisions and pin holes is very small. The ossification velocity of the regenerating bone is speeded up and the treatment cycle is shortened by 50~70%.
2. About the Operation
Height increasing operation is divided into three steps: surrounding operation, lengthening and function adaptability. Now, according to the needed length, time and economic of the patient, we can supply the follow different methods.
(1) Traditional method
Height Increasing Operation produces a new bone growth line on the limb. Some steel pins are placed on the skeletal through the skin and connected to the external fixation. Thus the pins and external fixation form a limb lengthening equipment being of drawing function. After the operation, the limbs are extended regularly until the predetermined length. When the new bone hardens, the external fixation can be removed.
The period of surrounding operation is 10~14days (including pre-operation check, operation performing and treatment of post operation). The main thing of patient is taking rest and some legs exercise in the bed. He may also do some standing exercise;
The lengthening period is: Celemeters lengthen X 20+90(days);
The period of function adaptability is 1~3 months.
(2) Method of combining fixation with locked nail
This method is based on the traditional one. A locked nail is placed in the medullary cavity. Thus the external limb lengthening equipment can be removed as soon as the limb is extended to the predetermined length. With this method, the contraction, rotation and bending of the lengthened limb can be efficiently prevented, the period of using external fixations is shortened and this is also beneficial to the ossification of new bone and the recovery of limb function.
The period of surrounding operation is 10~14days;
The lengthening period is: Celemeters lengthen X 15~20+15(days);
The period of function adaptability is 1~3 months.
When the new bone gets consolidation(1~1.5 year after the first operation), the patient needs to be in hospital for 15 days to extract the nail.
(3) Height increasing in two times
On the base of the method 2, the pre-determined length can be reached by two times. For example, if you want to increase 10 cm, you may firstly increase 5 cm, 1~2 years later, you may secondly increase another 5 cm. The advantages of this method are: the lengthened extent is larger, it is convenient to arrange your time, the reaction during the lengthening is light, the joint function can be recovered in shorter time.
3. The area of operation
The tibia and femur.
4. Indication, complication, and sequelae of Height Increasing Operation
4.1 Indication
Adult (less than 45 years old) and the youth who has stopped growth. The patient should have no any pathology in the bone, nerve, blood vessel and skin.
The person with serious bone and articulation deformity should accept the operation earlier as possible in order to get the synchronous orthopedic and recover the limb function.
4.2 Complication
Some complication may be caused duo to the bad factors of lengthening equipment, operation technique and medical environment. But, among the more than 2000 cases (including 300 limb lengthening) which our institute has treated using external skeletal fixation technology , there is no any serious complication. Occasionally, there is a low-grade infection of pin holes and this can be controlled at once by simple treatment. There is occasionally very few part to be adjusted remedily.
4.3 Sequelae
Except the scar of pin hole, there is no any kind of serious sequelae for the lengthening process.
5. The length of stretch
On the face of operation and technology, the length can be got as how much you want. But for everyone, the length should be determined according to his particular situation . It is better to lengthen less than 10 cm for each tibia or 8 cm for each femur. Of cause, the pre-determined length can be adjusted during the process.
6. The pain degree
In the first few days after the operation, high potency pain-killing medication is needed. Afterward will be mild to moderate pain.
7. Hospitalization and check
The patient may stay in hospital through all the treatment procedure or be hospitalization in stages. If the patient wants to leave hospital during the lengthening and function adaptability, 2~3 weeks later after the operation, he can go home and lengthen or be recovered by himself. But the patient should come to hospital for check one or two times every month according to the doctor's demand. If the home is far away from the hospital, the patient may take X-ray at local hospital and mail it to us. When the pre-determined length is reached, the patient is in hospital again to accept the adjustment and removing the lengthening equipment.
8. Cost
Please Contact us by email to:inquiry@bph.co.th or call our contact Center 1719. oversea call +66 385 9999
9. Recovery
Because all the tissue of the lengthened limbs need a procedure of reconstruction and rehabilitation, in two years after the operation, the patient can not take part in the strenuous exercise. Two years later, the limb function is completely recovered and the patient can attend the normal exercise.
Contact: Bangkok Pattaya Hospital
International Department
301 Moo. 6 Sukhumvit Road., Km. 143 Pattaya City, Chonburi 20150 Thailand
Tel. (66) 3825 9999 Fax. (66) 3842 7770
www.bangkokpattayahospital.com
Email : inquiry@bph.co.th |
