home Audience 4 Ilizarov apparatus for fusion and lengthening of bones. How to install the Ilizarov apparatus in the treatment of fractures. Surgical leg lengthening - Ilizarov and Bliskunov techniques. They are divided into devices

Ilizarov apparatus for fusion and lengthening of bones. How to install the Ilizarov apparatus in the treatment of fractures. Surgical leg lengthening - Ilizarov and Bliskunov techniques. They are divided into devices

To create optimal conditions for fastening bone fragments of a limb segment, compressing or stretching bones, and anatomically correct fusion, it is proposed to use a special design - the Ilizarov apparatus. This is a kind of corset for bones. Widely used in many areas of clinical medicine - traumatology, outpatient, pediatric orthopedics. The Ilizarov apparatus is also successfully used in the beauty and health industry - in anthropometric cosmetology for the correction of congenital or acquired deformities of the limbs, for the correction of the hips and legs for aesthetic purposes.

How the device works

The compression-distraction method of treatment was developed in the early 50s by the traumatologist-orthopedist of the regional hospital of the city of Kurgan G. A. Ilizarov, later he was awarded the academic title of professor, doctor of medical sciences. The technique is based on the use of a device located outside the patient’s body, comparable to a kind of tunnel, in the center of which there is a limb that needs to be assembled and fused.

The dynamic design for transosseous (external) osteosynthesis, named after the author of the invention, at that time consisted of 2 rings connected by movable rods and 4 X-shaped intersecting stainless steel spokes fixed on ring supports.

Subsequently, the design was constantly improved, but the principle remained unchanged - with the help of special wires passed through the middle sections of the damaged bone, rigid fixation is ensured, eliminating any displacement. In order to be able to influence the course of therapy, the structure is fastened with mechanical movable rods, allowing dosed adjustment of the level of impact on the affected area, providing a given compression or stretching of the bone area. Early modifications were bulky, heavy, and caused a lot of inconvenience to patients. Design innovations made it possible to obtain a lightweight, reliable, small-sized, universal and multifaceted design that provides the greatest rigidity of fixation:

The steel wires of the Ilizarov apparatus, which are the connecting element between the outer ring supports and bone tissue, were replaced with high-strength titanium or carbon fiber rods. To enhance rigidity, they are equipped with special sharpening, soldering or thrust pads. The greatest rigidity is provided by knitting needles with a diameter of 2 mm, but 1.5 or 1.8 mm are more often used;
triangles, half-rings or individual arcs are used as support instead of inconvenient one-piece rings. To give greater rigidity to the support, the parts are connected to each other using additional fasteners; they can even overlap each other;
the presence of a relatively small number of standardized parts allows, in addition to the basic model for the treatment of deformations and damage to long tubular bones (Ilizarov apparatus on the leg, arm - usually the lower leg and forearm), to complete options for almost any bone, incl. metacarpal, metatarsal and phalanges.

For each specific clinical case, doctors individually select parts and, depending on the nosological form, localization of the pathology, and assigned tasks, install their own special type of design. The Ilizarov apparatus, which includes standardized components and parts, has no analogues at the moment.

In what cases is surgery using the device indicated?

The design feature of the device allows you to fix bone fragments in a given position, creating optimal mechanical and medical-biological conditions for their rapid fusion. When assembled, it serves as a frame that solves a number of problems in various fields of medicine. Operation with the Ilizarov apparatus restores the natural integrity of the skeletal system and is indicated for bloodless treatment:

severe fractures of the chest, pelvic, and various parts of the spinal column;
closed comminuted, comminuted, multi-fragmented fractures along the diaphysis (central section of the tubular bone), metaphyseal (periarticular) fractures;
fresh and old dislocations, open fractures;
building up the missing section of bone in the presence of defects formed as a result of diseases, the destructive action of tumors, osteomyelitis, after removing small fragments of injured bone unsuitable for regeneration;
congenital malformations of the skeleton - shortening, deformation of the limbs, clubbed hands, clubfoot;
true o- or x-shaped curvature of the legs with rickets;
pseudarthrosis of any localization, acquired bone changes due to arthritis, arthrosis, infectious diseases;

Advantages and disadvantages

The installation operation is used strictly as prescribed by a doctor and is indicated for adults and children. The operating principle, purpose, device and installation procedure are identical. Manufacturers produce device kits in several sizes:

8 sizes for shoulder, forearm, hand and lower leg - with inner diameter of rings from 80 to 225 mm;
5 sizes for the hip – diameter from 120 to 180 mm.

A complete set of parts allows you to assemble a large number of options. For small patients, it is recommended to purchase a set of parts made of titanium. This material is resistant to corrosion, biologically absolutely harmless, and the weight of a titanium device is less than its steel counterpart. Its main advantages include the ability to obtain a readable, without visualization distortion, image on X-rays, NMR and computed tomography and to control the treatment process due to the fact that the titanium alloy does not exhibit magnetic properties.

Treatment with the Ilizarov apparatus allows:

compare and reliably record fragments as accurately as possible;
resist the force of muscles approaching the diseased bone from different sides and pulling it in diametrically opposite directions, causing shifts;
protect the combined fragments and the juxtaposed bone from displacement, divergence of edges, additional trauma, and malunion;
due to the ability to accurately fix and regulate the length of the bone, prevent its shortening during fusion;
correct congenital changes - stretch a limb that is unequal in length, correct its shape;
minimize the risk of formation of pseudarthrosis (false joint) at the fracture site;
begin to move painlessly as early as possible, without waiting for complete consolidation of the fracture, which allows you not to lose the motor and supporting function of the joints, and prevent muscle contracture. Opportunity walk with an Ilizarov apparatus literally a week after its installation, it appears thanks to the design feature, which allows the weight to be distributed over the entire area of the supporting frame.

The disadvantages of treatment with the device in comparison with the positive effect are not significant; they mainly boil down to the following:

extra weight is felt;
the device causes discomfort – it interferes with sleep, sitting and lying down normally;
immediately after installation, swelling and pain appear;
At the entry points, pinpoint scars remain on the skin and can persist for a long time.

How to install the Ilizarov apparatus

Technically, installing the Ilizarov apparatus is a complex task, requiring the trauma surgeon to have mathematical precision of movement, understanding of the engineering design, and the ability to quickly make decisions. The operation is performed in an equipped trauma department exclusively by an experienced specialist. He will need to study in advance the nature of the bone fragments and their location using x-rays and assemble the required version of the device from the parts. They are pre-prepared - sterilized by boiling using distilled water. To numb the area of the body during surgery, local anesthesia is administered. Depending on the severity of the condition and the extent of the procedure, the patient may be prescribed general anesthesia. The place where the needles are inserted is disinfected.

The patient is positioned on the operating table so as to provide free access to the site of application of the guide device. So, if the Ilizarov apparatus is installed:

on the hand - use a side table and place the sore limb on it;
on the leg (tibia fracture) - the bed is created using a fixator, on a standardized Beler splint, which has special hip and knee notches at both ends, ensuring peace and relaxation of the muscles;
on the thigh - place a pillow under the buttock on the side of the healthy part of the body so that the operated area of the thigh hangs without tension.

Assembly is carried out directly during the operation; for this, the surgeon performs the following actions:

the needles are brought to the designated section of the bone at a right angle to its longitudinal axis, taking into account the topography of the vessels and nerves;
to maintain sterility, the needles are held with a dry cloth, balls and rubber plugs treated with an alcohol solution are put on them, with the help of which the needles are attached to the patient’s skin;
the doctor brings the needles to the bone, piercing the soft tissue, and using an electric drill, drills holes in a given fragment with them, the needles are inserted in mutually intersecting directions;
to avoid burns, often stop drilling;
Having passed the knitting needles through the bone, he assembles the apparatus - puts on support rings, secures the knitting needles to them with special holders, tightens the nuts on the connecting rings installed parallel to each other, ties and rods;
checks the correct position and fastening, then proceeds to tensioning the spokes - one end is tightly secured with a clamp, the other is first pulled out using a spoke tensioner.

The apparatus is adjusted by rotating the nuts on movable rods (bars) that hold metal support rings that transmit the load to the bones. By changing the distance between them, we achieve:

Compression effect - tightening the nuts and bringing the rings closer together.
Stretching of bone fragments - increasing the distance between the rings with arches and weakening the compression.

Treatment of patients with congenital or post-traumatic shortening of the phalanges of the fingers and metatarsal bones is provided by installing a mini-device on the finger. It is divided into a basic and dynamic part and consists of several (from 1 to 5) cantilever spokes fixed in a support. They are passed through the lower end of the metatarsal or metacarpal bone, the central section of the main phalanx of the finger, the nail and middle phalanges.

The installation scheme is the same for all indications and injured parts of the body - the manipulations are identical in cases where the Ilizarov apparatus is applied for a bone fracture and when cosmetic changes are performed. Depending on the location of the problem area and the complexity of the disease, a different number of semicircles and arcs can be used, serving as the main supporting and regulatory elements. Lengthening with the Ilizarov apparatus is a step-by-step procedure, including:

Installation of the device on a solid limb in need of correction.
Osteotomy is an orthopedic operation in which the bone is cut.
Fixing the ends in the desired position with a guide device.
Gradual lengthening of the limb - distraction begins after 7 days, when the bone begins to grow.
Fixation period. Correction of the second leg begins no earlier than a month from the start of the operation.

This is how the shape of the bone is adjusted.

Duration of wearing the device

There is no clear answer to the question: how long do you wear the Ilizarov apparatus? The period is determined individually and depends primarily on the rate of bone tissue growth. The duration of wearing consists of the period of connection of fragments, elongation and the period of pressure. There are restrictions on the rate of dilation - bone traction: 1 mm / day. Having reached the required length of the bone or having carried out immediate fixation of the fragments, wait until the bones are strengthened and acquire their natural density. By time, on average:

the traction period lasts 20-30 days - with an extension of 2 cm, 50-75 - with an extension of 5 cm;
the fixation period is at least 1-2 months, but usually extends to 4-6 months. for comminuted fractures, 5-8 during orthopedic surgery.

The process should be constantly monitored to minimize the risks of improper fusion and the development of complications. If the fracture has healed sufficiently, after this time the Ilizarov apparatus must be removed.

Rules for wearing the device

After a successful operation, the patient is discharged to continue treatment on an outpatient basis. Before discharge, they are taught the rules of wearing and caring for the device. You are allowed to begin loading the limb on the second day after the application of the pins and to move independently, leaning on the sore leg and using crutches for support while walking, within a week. To eliminate the risk of suppuration and inflammation, it is important to adhere to sanitary standards and certain hygiene rules:

daily disinfect open areas of the knitting needles and all parts of the device - wipe with a cloth moistened with medical or other high-quality alcohol, avoiding contact of the solution with the skin;
change napkins every 2 days, after 2 weeks - every 7 days;
When a doctor prescribes antibiotics, strictly adhere to the prescribed dosage; if symptoms (pain, swelling, redness, purulent discharge) do not disappear, immediately notify the attending physician.

In case of displacement or deformation of the spokes, urgent medical attention is required. Ignoring the problem is fraught with irreversible consequences.

Basics of rehabilitation after removal of the device

The removal procedure must be carried out by the same doctor who installed the device. In most cases, it does not cause significant pain and anesthesia is not required. How to remove the Ilizarov apparatus:

Dismantling of supporting supports, rings, clamps.
Biting one end of the knitting needle and pulling it out of the bone.
Treating puncture sites with disinfectants.
Applying a plaster cast.

After removal, it is recommended to gradually increase the load, because bone thickness, strength and density decreased. Wearing heels is prohibited (allowed only after six months). The arm, leg after the Ilizarov apparatus and other joints need to restore normal blood circulation, which will provide nutrition to the limb and accelerated regeneration. The rehabilitation period should include:

massage, hydromassage;
therapeutic exercises;
hydrogen sulfide baths, swimming, walking.

Why and in what cases are complications possible?

Immediately after installation, some patients experience swelling and pain. They are not caused by the Ilizarov apparatus itself – pain, this is a consequence of damage by a metal needle (during its penetration into soft tissue) of small formations (vessels, nerve columns), the exact localization of which cannot be determined during the operation.

Serious disadvantages of the technique include the occasional inflammatory processes of soft tissues at puncture sites. This may be a consequence:

failure to comply with hygiene rules while wearing the device;
harmful bacteria entering the wound during surgery;
receiving a burn while drilling a bone that needs fusion.

In this case, a course of antibiotics will be required. To avoid such a complication, it is recommended to cool the needles during the operation and use a low-speed drill. It is advisable to use a special sterile cover with elastic bands at the ends, which is placed over the device and protects the needles from infection (dust, dirt).

The most popular clinics abroad:

Israeli rehabilitation center Levinshtein;
Ichilov Clinic in Tel Aviv;
Diagnostix Institute of Diagnostics and Telemedicine in Germany.

The final price of the procedure has several components. First of all, it is determined by how much the Ilizarov apparatus costs. The price of a set of parts depends on the location of application, on average it is:

An essential component of treatment with the Ilizarov apparatus is the price of the operation, it can reach 150-400 thousand rubles. and include the cost of the device, preliminary diagnosis, doctor’s consultation and hospital stay. The procedure is expensive, but it allows not only to increase height, stretch legs and correct curvature, but also to quickly get back on your feet after a serious injury and broken bones.

Modern people strive with all their might for an ideal appearance. Some are interested in the parameters and shape of the body, others – in height. Both women and men, in an attempt to increase their height, are willing to undergo invasive surgery to lengthen their legs, and in most cases the increase in height occurs only by a few centimeters. The patient will have to go through pain and inconvenience for a long time to achieve results (for example, wearing a special device). How is it carried out, who is indicated and contraindicated, how much does such an intervention cost?

Indications and contraindications

According to experts, leg lengthening surgery is prescribed to correct a number of defects:

Dwarfism (height up to 135 centimeters)
Excessive leg curvature
Lameness caused by severe differences in the length of the lower limbs

Preparation period

Before starting all manipulations, the patient must consult with doctors (therapist, anesthesiologist, surgeon), take a urine test (general), blood (general, biochemistry, coagulation), perform fluorography and radiography of the legs, and ultrasound examination of the joints.

15 days before the intervention, you must stop taking blood thinning medications, drinking alcohol, and smoking.

How is it carried out?

Leg lengthening surgery is performed using one of two existing methods.

Intraosseous, or Bliskunova. A rod implant is inserted into the bone and fixes it from the inside. Very expensive and not very popular in Russia.

Transosseous, or Ilizarov. The leg is fixed with knitting needles and rings from the outside. They gradually move apart, which lengthens the legs. Requires wearing an unaesthetic external device, but is inexpensive.

Surgery to increase height is a long, complex, and sometimes dangerous process. For example, leg lengthening using the Ilizarov apparatus is quite painful and takes a lot of time.

The patient remains hospitalized for about a month after installation of the bone stretching device. Approximately 5 days after the manipulations, you can begin to move up to 50 meters per day. During the entire lengthening period, the patient feels pain (anesthetic is prescribed), and it can intensify if the mode of motor activity or the rate of bone lengthening is disrupted.

The duration of distraction is from 5 to 7 months, after which the device can be removed. Next, the period of fixation begins (lasts from 4 months to six months, necessary for the prevention of deformities of elongated lower limbs). During this time, the patient is at rest, sometimes special rehabilitation exercises are performed, since lack of movement over a long period of time is fraught with muscle atrophy and serious joint problems.

Post-operative care

After lengthening the legs using the Ilizarov apparatus (or using the Bliskunov method), doctors recommend performing certain actions to properly care for the leg area.

In stationary conditions

According to experts, within the walls of the clinic it is necessary:

Attending physiotherapeutic procedures from the 2nd day after surgery
Taking medications to prevent thrombosis
Practice deep breathing and coughing to prevent fluid from accumulating in the lungs
Regular walking short distances (using a walker or crutches)
Self-adjustment training for clamps
Mastering the rules for caring for pins and their external fixation areas

At home

At home after surgery, for proper bone distraction it is necessary:

Use of walkers, crutches (it is important to protect the lower limbs from unnecessary stress until medical permission)
Regular adjustment of the device according to the instructions (if it needs to be adjusted)
Maintain proper nutrition and, if necessary, take calcium supplements
Maintaining hygiene of the external fixtures of the device to prevent infection (especially in the area around the fixtures and pins)
Keeping wounds (incisions) clean and dry until the doctor allows water procedures
Perform exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscle structures of the legs
Taking painkillers prescribed by the doctor
Regular medical consultations and radiography to monitor bone growth (once every 15-20 days)

IMPORTANT: Dancing, active jumping, and skating are acceptable after about 1 year, but not earlier.

Primary results are assessed after completion of distraction, and final results are assessed 4 months after the rehabilitation period. Postoperative scars disappear in about six months.

Possible complications

Slow bone recovery, usually due to smoking
Tissue inflammation
Impaired mobility of the knee or ankle

Price

The price of the operation is determined by the bone segment that needs to be increased, as well as the parameters of the increase. The price usually includes from 30 to 50 days of hospital stay, outpatient medical supervision (depending on the correction method and the institution). On average, an increase in the lower leg is estimated at 3-8 thousand dollars, an increase in the thigh - 4-10 thousand dollars.

Additional Information

Surgery to increase height can be performed in combination with correction of ankle deformities (if it is necessary to eliminate varus or valgus deformity).

Lengthening of one of the lower limbs may be performed (for example, after a difference in leg length of more than 1.5 centimeters, congenital or acquired due to injury).

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Instructions for use:

The Ilizarov apparatus was created in the early fifties of the twentieth century by the famous Soviet surgeon G. A. Ilizarov. The device, made by Ilizarov, consists of four metal skeletal traction spokes, fixed on two rings and interconnected by movable rods. Over the years, this device has been gradually improved. The modern Ilizarov apparatus is made of titanium with a high strength index. Modern designs use titanium or carbon fiber rods instead of spokes. The rigid rings in it are replaced with plates, semicircles and triangles. Quite light and small in size, a modern medical device is widely used in traumatology, aesthetic medicine and orthopedics to correct body proportions, curvature of the legs, congenital deformities, clubfoot, and abnormal development of the foot bones. This device is used for rickets, pseudarthrosis, for fractures of various locations and complexity, as well as to increase growth in systemic skeletal diseases, to treat joint contractures, to eliminate soft tissue and bone defects that arise after tumors, infections or injuries.

Installation of the Ilizarov apparatus

The Ilizarov compression-distraction apparatus is designed for distraction (stretching) or compression (squeezing), as well as for long-term fixation of individual bone fragments. With any fracture, the edges of the bone can become dislodged as the muscles pull them in different directions. The use of an Ilizarov apparatus on a leg or arm during a fracture prevents the displacement of bone fragments. It reliably fixes ununited fractures and false joints and does not require the use of additional plaster immobilization. Along with the treatment of false joints and non-united fractures, the device is successfully used to correct limb length.

The process of installing the Ilizarov apparatus on a leg or arm during a fracture occurs as follows. Two wires are passed through each bone fragment in the fracture area with a drill, crossing them at right angles. A pair of spokes of each bone fragment is fixed and secured in a ring (half ring) using a special key. When tightening the nuts on the moving rods, the distance between the rings changes. The bringing together of the rings provides compression between the edges of the fragments. Due to deformation of the spokes, the compression force gradually decreases. Therefore, the tension of the spokes must be monitored and adjusted daily. By skillfully manipulating the movable rods, it is possible to eliminate the displacement of fragments along the axis, angular deformations, and also perform closed reposition of bone fragments.

Leg lengthening using the Ilizarov apparatus is carried out in stages. First, the device is applied to the patient, then the bone is dissected (osteometry) and the fragments are fixed using an orthopedic device. Gradual lengthening of the legs (distraction) begins approximately one week after surgery. The rate of limb lengthening is one millimeter per day. The speed of distraction depends on the patient’s individual tolerance of this procedure. Thus, the duration of distraction when lengthening the limbs by five centimeters ranges from 50 to 75 days. The fixation period begins after the end of the leg lengthening period. Typically, the fixation period lasts twice as long as the distraction period.

Approximately a month later, surgery is performed on the second limb. Limb lengthening operations are performed under anesthesia. The patient can walk with the help of crutches already on the second day. During the rehabilitation period, the patient is recommended to swim and walk.

The Ilizarov apparatus is also used to correct the curvature of the limbs. During the operation, the bone is cut through the area of its deformation, and then fixed in the correct position using a device. Installation of the Ilizarov apparatus involves passing wires through the bones and inserting rods. Correction of the shape of the legs can be either gradual (the deformity is eliminated with daily correction) or one-step (correction is carried out directly during the operation). Daily adjustments are made by the patient themselves. The device is removed after the bones have fused in the correct position. Modern Ilizarov devices; They are relatively small in size, so the patient can fully move almost immediately after surgery.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Ilizarov apparatus

Installation of the Ilizarov apparatus can reduce the time required for fracture healing and reduce the likelihood of developing a pseudarthrosis to almost zero. Partial load on the injured limb is possible already on the second or third day after the procedure.

However, this device also has its drawbacks. Rings often interfere with sitting and lying down normally. After removal of the device, pinpoint scars remain at the puncture sites. Some reviews of the Ilizarov apparatus say that when using it, many patients experience swelling and aching pain that interferes with sleep.

Removal of the Ilizarov apparatus

Only a specialist can remove the device. As reviews say, the Ilizarov apparatus is most often removed without prior anesthesia.

After removing the Ilizarov apparatus, small wounds remain on the injured limb, which heal quite quickly. To speed up healing, wounds can be treated with disinfectants. Over time, almost invisible scars remain where the device was removed.

A drastic solution to the problem of short stature is leg lengthening surgery. It consists of lengthening the femur and (or) tibia by several centimeters due to a surgical fracture and subsequent fusion of the bones.

Often people, due to their genetic characteristics, injuries, hormonal imbalance or other reasons, suffer from short stature. Many are willing to risk their health to gain the missing few centimeters.

In the fashion and beauty industry, long legs are considered a great advantage to make many women appear taller by wearing high-heeled shoes, but there are also more radical ways to make legs longer, such as height enhancement surgery.

Cosmetic orthopedics

This is the correction of the lower and upper extremities using surgery. The main goal is to increase growth. This direction was formed relatively recently, at the end of the twentieth century, it was then that the first methods of reconstructive surgery for people with deformed limbs were tested.

Despite the extensive experience all over the world in the use of surgical intervention to lengthen long tubular bones, with all the variety of techniques, the main one is the Ilizarov method.

Surgical technique for leg lengthening

Two methods are used to lengthen limbs:

How is leg lengthening surgery performed?

Surgery to change the length of a limb is very painful, expensive and time-consuming, so before starting the operation you should think carefully about whether it is really necessary.

One of the frequently asked questions is, how much can you lengthen your leg? Modern methods of surgical intervention to increase height make it possible to lengthen the thigh up to 10 cm, and the lower leg up to 6 cm

The operation is performed in several stages:

Each knitting needle is attached to the tibia or fibula. If the wires are not placed with absolute precision, they may damage tissue or nerves;
Then a metal frame is installed, which helps to fix the knitting needles and keep all vital tissues intact;
Next, the operation to fracture the bone takes place within approximately 10 minutes.

After the operation is completed, over the next few months the legs are lengthened using the Ilizarov apparatus; the distance between the bones will gradually increase due to the expansion of the frames in the apparatus. The bones will grow and stretch to fill the gap.

Important! The operation should not be regarded as a simple and easy way to increase height. You must always remember that any surgical intervention can have serious consequences that even a doctor is often unable to predict.

Indications and contraindications

There are absolutely no medical indications for cosmetic orthopedics. All reasons for having surgery are purely individual, the main ones being:

Curvature of the legs;
Short stature;
Desire to reduce waistline by removing ribs.

Surgical intervention is prohibited for those who have the following problems:

Mental illnesses;
Disruption of the central nervous system;
Diabetes;
Oncological diseases;
Arthritis;
Inflammatory processes of the skin.

It is also necessary to be prepared for the possible occurrence of complications after surgery:

Impairment of the regenerative abilities of bone tissue, which will cause longer wound healing.
Inflammatory process of tissue around the Ilizarov apparatus.
Impaired movement of the knee and ankle joint, which makes movement extremely difficult (therapeutic gymnastics helps to get rid of this problem).

How much does the operation cost?

Prices for limb augmentation surgery depend on the technique used and the segment of bone that needs to be enlarged - femur or tibia, and how much the length of this bone will be changed. The table shows the average price in Russia.

Prices in different clinics may or may not include the cost of preliminary diagnostics, the Ilizarov apparatus, hospital stay and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation

Recovery after such a complex operation requires a certain set of exercises, which must be performed regularly, and then it will undoubtedly be beneficial.

Most often, the cost of limb lengthening services includes a set of rehabilitation measures that help restore normal functioning of the leg. However, there are situations in which, after hospitalization in the clinic, the patient is sent home and then recovers on his own.

During the rehabilitation period, swimming, light physical activity, and walking are recommended for a speedy recovery. After 2-3 months, you can begin heavier loads and sports.

Important! The success of rehabilitation depends only on the patient himself. It must be remembered that recovery from such major operations requires time and patience.

Pros and cons of surgery

The main advantage that leg lengthening surgery can offer is efficiency. After the operation and recovery course, the result of increased growth will be guaranteed. However, do not forget about the disadvantages of this method, the main ones being:

Pain. From the moment of the operation and throughout the entire rehabilitation period, you will be accompanied by severe pain, which you will have to endure for several months.
Complications. Various complications may begin, such as inflammatory processes, the device may break, which will require new surgical intervention, etc.
Time. To carry out this operation, you will need to spend several months in the clinic, and then recover for several more months through rehabilitation measures.
Price. The cost of this method of increasing height is extremely high, and not everyone will be able to pay for such an operation.

Without surgery

If you are afraid of surgery, try increasing your height through exercise. The result is not guaranteed, but if you are young and do not have obvious curvature of the coli, then perhaps there will be an effect. Watch this video.

Everyone has heard about leg lengthening surgery, and some have even experienced it themselves. This is a rather lengthy and step-by-step treatment, when the patient was fitted with an Ilizarov apparatus, and he was forced to be isolated from society for a long time, constantly follow the rules of caring for the device, in addition, scars remained on the skin of the legs, there were frequent cases of bone infection and the development of osteomyelitis.

Israeli medicine - modern technologies

In modern foreign clinics, traditional leg lengthening surgery has been replaced by new, gentle methods. In particular, Israeli specialists in the field of orthopedics have developed and proposed their own method of limb lengthening, which does not require large incisions and the application of an apparatus with many wires, which has already been successfully used in practice and has proven undeniable advantages.

Today, any patient who, for any reason, needs lengthening of one or both limbs can be easily operated on in Israel using a new safe technology. Information about treatment in Israel using this method can be obtained on our website through a free consultation through the contact form, or by telephone with one of the leading specialists in the field of orthopedics and plastic surgery.

Leg lengthening surgery - indications

The question of limb lengthening can arise for various reasons - both medical and cosmetic.

These reasons are:

- congenital underdevelopment of the limbs with their shortening;

- shortening after severe fractures;

- shortening after bone resection for tumors;

- inflammatory process (osteomyelitis), leading to bone destruction and shortening;

- the patient’s desire to lengthen his legs and increase his height, i.e. for cosmetic purposes.

Most often, for medical reasons, surgery is performed on one leg (tibia, thigh, or both segments); for cosmetic purposes, surgery is performed on both limbs.

New method of leg lengthening in Israel

There is a modern Ilizarov technique, the cost of such a service, on average, is $50,000. But in our clinical center, a similar technique is not offered to clients, since the technology, although effective, has a lot of complications, for example, patients in the postoperative period often experience osteomyelitis, large scars remain, and a lot of all kinds of suppuration. In addition, in the postoperative period, patients suffer from severe pain, their motor activity is limited, and the results on different limbs may not be the same. The Ilizarov apparatus fixed only the lower limb from the outside. The technology required repetition of the intervention. The cosmetic effect was minimal.

There is an alternative option - this is the innovative Precise Nail technology for leg lengthening, which is produced in Israel. The cost of the procedure for one leg in Israel is $55,000, for two - $103,000. For comparison: the cost of the same operation in the USA is $300,000, in Germany - $220,000. The cost of the operation includes all operating expenses, electromagnetic implants, an individual approach to anesthesia by an anesthesiologist, and seven days of hospitalization in the clinic. Also, the price initially includes all consultations with specialists - preliminary and postoperative, all preoperative diagnostics, consultations of doctors, rehabilitation.

Israeli innovative technology Precise Nail is carried out at ASSUTA CLINICS. The technique is striking in its effectiveness and painlessness. Repeated surgical interventions and complications are excluded. There is no need to visit doctors after surgery.

The essence of the operation is that a telescopic magnetic intramedullary rod is inserted into the bone tissue. The technique helps to remove acquired and congenital defects that lead to shortening of the legs. Implantation is carried out without tissue trauma, using minimally invasive methods. Interestingly, the technique has no visual signs of surgery.

Precise Nail has become a real “revolution” in implantology of modern medicine. Compared to the Ilizarov technique, such an operation is performed in a shorter period of time; during the intervention, the tissues are minimally susceptible to injury, and therefore the likelihood of infection is minimal. Complications during the rehabilitation period almost never occur. Accordingly, there is no need to prescribe a large number of medications to the patient. Preciсe Nail guarantees patients excellent psychological comfort.

Preciсe Nail is indicated for infected fractures and dwarfism, neurological pathologies, excision of bone tissue cancer and genetic abnormalities.

The implantation itself is carried out in several stages. First of all, doctors find a site for the future incision. A hole is made in the bone. The wire is inserted into the medullary canal - it is a guide. The proximal drill enters through it. When the drill and wire are pulled out, a telescopic rod enters the cavity, lengthening the limb. The rod is fixed on both sides with screws. In the desired location, bone dissection is performed - osteotomy. After this, all the incisions made are sutured.

Then the next stage is carried out. The task of doctors at this stage is to stretch the muscle chains and lengthen the bones. The procedure is as comfortable as possible; in one manipulation the rod is moved apart by a quarter of a millimeter. For this purpose, doctors use special computerized equipment; when it is launched, a magnetic field is formed. The magnetic rod poles repel each other, thereby triggering the field action. The rod begins to unscrew little by little. The manipulations are repeated up to four times a day. This helps lengthen the bone by one millimeter. In the area of bone dissection near the rod, connective tissue grows. Thanks to the rod, you can lengthen the limb by almost one centimeter - up to eight millimeters! The rod can be manipulated at home; the patient only needs to go to the hospital to monitor the progress of the correction.

If necessary, the patient is given an x-ray and given directions for additional examinations. Treatment tactics are developed collectively by several medical doctors at a specially assembled council.

$55,000 for one leg implant and $103,000 for two leg implants. And these are the costs with a full all-inclusive package: hospitalization, anesthesiology, consultations, examinations, diagnostics, surgery, rehabilitation. Preciсe Nail is a profitable and effective technology that has proven its effectiveness.