QUESTION:

What are the differences between Limb Lengthening methods? 

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ANSWER:

LON means Lengthening Over Nail. There will be 2 devices on each leg internal and external. 

Advantages:
+ You don’t need a motorized nail 
+ Highly reliable and most commonly performed Limb Lengthening method in the world currently.
+ Most important factor is it's very reasonable cost.

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- LON Method needs a second surgery after leg lengthening period for the removal of external fixators and locking the internal nails. 

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PRECICE 2.2 is the last tech intramedullary motorized rod method.

Advantages compare to LON:
+It's embedded into the patient’s bone, thats why it does not cause any discomfort and significantly minimizes risk of infection
+ No External Fixators. Nail it self electromagneticly motorized and extends bones with remote control unit
+ More comfortable
+ No visible sign or device around your legs
+ 3 Months Lesser recovery time compare to LON (After limb lengthening period)

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STRYDE is the upgraded version of Precice 2.2.

Advantages compage to LON and PRECICE2.2:
+ STRYDE nails are made of stainless steel. It is much stronger and durable than PRECICE 2.2 titanium intramedullary nails.
+ STRYDE nails can easily bear your full weight so after few months of crutch usage, you will be able to walk without any assistance.
+ STRYDE allows patient not to use bloodthinner 
+ No External Fixators. Nail it self electromagneticly motorized via remote control
+ Device is internally embedded into the patient’s bone, thats why it does not cause any discomfort and significantly minimizes risk of infection
+ 3 Months Lesser recovery time compare to LON (After limb lengthening period)

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QUESTION:

Will i have Pain during Limb Lengthening Period?

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ANSWER:

Right after surgery you will have a PCA (patient controlled analgesia). Other than pain right after your surgery for couple days, the pain you feel will decrease gradually. Patients are switched to oral pain medication in preparation for discharge from the hospital. After discharge, all patients receive a prescription for oral pain medication. During the first two weeks after surgery most patients still feel some post-surgical pain. Once this is gone, the comfort level will be greatly improved. The most painful times are during stretching exercises during physical therapy and when going to sleep. We often prescribe some medication to help with sleep. Most patients do not complain of much pain during the daytime. The actual leg lengthening process is usually painless. Most patients have little to no pain during the majority of the leg lengthening.

 

QUESTION:

How will i grow taller?

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ANSWER:

Limb lengthening will be done once 3 or 4 times a day depending on the method you choose which will be equal to 1mm a day. Due to it's small size, human body can easily adapts to limb lengthening and pain would not occur as expected.

 

QUESTION:

Can i have both Tibia and Femur surgery at the same time?

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​ANSWER:

Yes you can have both femur and tibia at the same time. Depending on the patient's age and health condition, he/she may have second surgery right after first surgery's limb lengthening period. Also patients can have Quadrilateral limb lengthening surgery. Please ask for package options.

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QUESTION:

How do I book a surgery date?

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​ANSWER:

Please email Murat Ekinci info@lengtheningturkey.com or call from: +905330164562 who will help you find a date for surgery. To secure a surgery date, you will need to send your flight ticket details to confirm your arrival.

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QUESTION:

Do i need to send Deposit to my Limb Lengthening surgery?

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ANSWER:

No, we do not ask deposit to book surgery but we require a screen shot of your purchased flight ticket as proof that you are coming for your surgery.

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QUESTION:

How do i pay my surgery package?

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ANSWER:

We accept payments after consultation with in our office as only Cash or Wire Transfer Online. Unfortunately we do not accept Credit or Debit Cards. We do not do installments or payment plans.​

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QUESTION:

Which hospital will i be hospitalized?

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ANSWER:

We do our Limb Lengthening surgeries at Medistanbul Private Hospital. It's A++ Type private hospital with 100 beds and 6 High Tech operation rooms, 30 ICU rooms. Limb Lengthening Surgery is a major surgery that requires a high-end hospitalization service to have complicationless surgery and post-op care. 

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QUESTION:

What are the risks associated with limb lengthening surgery?

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​ANSWER:

The patient must know this, there is no 100% risk free surgery in the world. Some of the risks; Surgical, Anesthesia, Blood clot (embolism), Infection, Joint stiffness, Circulation disorders or pain due to nerve tension. These symptoms may happen in very low percentages but patient must know it before making a decision about getting this surgery. If patient had LON Method surgery; tiny infections on the exhausts of the nails may seen but it is easily treatable without causing serious problems with clean dressings and if needed oral antibiotics. We never observed any infection in Precice 2.2 and STRYDE patients.

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QUESTION:

Who CAN NOT have Limb Lengthening surgery?

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​ANSWER:

People who has Blood Clotting Disorders,​ HIV/AIDS, Active Infections and BDD (Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance). Also people who can not fulfill its responsibility during lengthening period can not have this surgery, because success of Limb Lengthening surgery, also depends on the patient's determination of doing his/her exercises.​

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QUESTION:

What kind of Limb Lengthening surgery methods exist?

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ANSWER:

Currenty BETZ, Guichet, Ilizarov, Holyfix, LON, Precice 2.2, Precice STRYDE methods are being used in the world for cosmetic limb lengthening. But as "Lengthening Turkey Height Solutions" we only use the most successful and reliable methods which are: LON, Precice 2.2 and Precice STRYDE.

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QUESTION:

How does LON Method work?

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ANSWER:

During the 1st stage of the surgery, an intramedullary nail is inserted into the bone you wish to have surgery and then an external fixator device is attached to the leg from outside. During the limb lengthening period, the intramedullary nail prevents angular deformity. When limb lengthening is completed, the external fixator can be removed with the completion of the internal fixation (screw insertion). This method was a groundbreaking development compare to the other methods, that only involved the use of an external fixators without internal nail, which causes misalignment most of the time. Thus, currently Lengthening Over Nail (LON Method) is the most commonly performed Limb Lengthening surgery method in the world by Orthopedic Surgeons.

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QUESTION:

How does Precice 2.2 and Precice STRYDE Methods work?

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ANSWER:

The patient or their helper at the hotel does their limb lengthening during the first day. The limb lengthening is done as 0.33mm as 3 times a day. The limb lengthening is done by using a special device called the ERC (External Remote Control) device. Our orthopedic technician will train you to do this until you are comfortable using the ERC device first day. Each patient receives an ERC. The ERC must be returned at the end of the limb lengthening to avoid being billed by Ellipse echnologies for the device ($30,000 cost). As long as it is returned, there is no charge for the ERC device.

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QUESTION:

When will I have x-rays done?

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ANSWER:

Starting from limb lengthening starting date every two weeks. Our Mobile X-ray staff and Mobile X-ray Device will be brought to your room to take your X-rays. From these X-rays we will check your progress and healing, so according to your healing speed, we may order you to decrease or increase the limb lengthening speed to prevent early union or noneunion of your bones. If the patient goes back to his/her country during limb lengthening period, he/she must send us X-rays for follow up every 15 days. 

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QUESTION:

What is the safe amount that can be extended and why can more length can not be done?

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ANSWER:
The limits of limb lengthening are the soft tissues. The risk of complications from limb lengthening increases with increased length. There is no risk up to 5cm according to our hundreds of previous patients.
Between 5-8cm is medium risk and over 8cm is high risk. For example to achieve 10cm of limb lengthening; it is
much safer to lengthen the femur and tibia each by 5cm than to lengthen either bone by 10cm. 

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QUESTION:

Can I get financing to help pay for the surgery?

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ANSWER:
We DO NOT provide financing. If you need financing, you will need to obtain this privately on your own to be
paid in full prior to surgery. 

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QUESTION:

Can I get back my pre-surgery health?

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ANSWER:

Limb lengthening procedure may take some time, but eventually you can get back your pre-surgery health and do sports that you want. For many sports types, you may have to wait up to 1 year after recovery. The key is to be patient, stick to the instructions of your doctor, do your exercises with determination and care about your overall health.

 

QUESTION:

How are the scars after surgery?

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ANSWER:

We use a minimally invasive method to put the limb lengthening device into the bones. A 1 to 1.5cm incision is made at the hip area, and 4 or 5 less than one cm incisions are made on the side of the thigh. These scars are so small they are not very noticeable. Most look no bigger than a mosquito bite. For the tibia there are more incisions. The incision to cut is about 1 cm long. The nail insertion incision is again 1 to 1.5cm long and the rest of the incisions all less than one cm.

 

QUESTION:

What can I do to prepare for surgery?

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ANSWER:

As Physical preparation: Stretching exercises may help.

For femur limb lengthening:

1) iliotibial band; lie on your side, extend your hip so your thigh is in line with your body and flex your knee. In that position, try and bring the flexed knee towards the ground. Also, you can do cross-leg stretches with the hip straight. These stretch the IT band.

 

2) Quadriceps and especially the rectus femoris muscle (bend knee with straightening of hip at the same time. Can be done standing while pulling foot behind butt and leaning back or kneeling with leaning back).

 

3) Hamstrings: knee straightening while flexing hip.

 

For tibial limb lengthening: Achilles tendon: heel cord; maximum dorsiflexion (foot up) with full knee extension (straight).

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Most importantly stop smoking and exposure to second hand smoke.

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QUESTION:

Will I see surgeon before surgery and have a consultation?

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ANSWER:

Yes, a day before your surgery you will be physically examined by our surgeon and have a consultation.

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QUESTION:

When do I return to my daily life after surgery?

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ANSWER:

If you have LON Method you will get rid of the extensor devices in 2-3 months depending on your height goal, and if you have Precice 2.2 or STRYDE you will stop using remote control unit when you reach your goal.

After that all you have to do is performing your daily stretching and muscle exercises with determination, if you do that, you will start to walk without assistance in 3-4 months after limb lengthening period. 

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QUESTION:

Can I walk with a device on my legs if i choose LON Method?

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ANSWER:

You can walk at home or get out to walk with devices on your legs. It is advisable to walk as long as it is not too extreme. At the same time, you can also do upper body workouts and exercises requires you to not stand too much.

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QUESTION:

What are the difficulties of this surgery?

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ANSWER:

You will be in bed the first day. 2nd day you can use walker and do your needs. Depending on your situation you will spend 4 Nights/5 days at the hospital. You have to be patient for the first two months after the operation. Because every day you will be 1 mm longer. With time, there may be tension on your legs. But this is temporary. When limb lengthening is over, the pain will be reduced and the tension will gradually end.

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If you have more questions you can ask them to us by filling Contact Form, by email or simply send your question by WhatsApp to get your answer quickly.

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