What is Height Enlargement Surgery?

By Editor On Dec 5, 2023

What is Height Enlargement Surgery?

Human is a being that is always developing and changing. It grows, develops and differentiates in different developmental periods from infancy to childhood. Each period has its own growth and development parameters. Starting from infancy, basic needs such as nutrition and shelter must be met by parents. Meeting the baby’s basic needs during the growth and development period ensures that the baby has a healthy period and that the characteristics of the next developmental period are age-appropriate.

Nutrients are the basic elements that support the growth and development of our body. Proper nutrition from infancy to childhood ensures that growth and development are appropriate for the current period.

The first encounter with the food group begins with breast milk. Breast milk contains all the nutritional components the baby needs. Breast milk should not be neglected from the first moment of birth. Breast milk, which must be supplemented with additional food at appropriate periods, is stopped with the doctor’s recommendation according to the baby’s developmental age. When breast milk is stopped, the healthy growth and development of the baby can be ensured by including the right food groups in the baby’s diet. It is important to include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals in a balanced way in the nutrition program to be suitable for the growth and development period. Healthy weight gain, teething, bone development and height growth are related to nutrition patterns from infancy to childhood. Spending this period with quality food groups supports growth and development and ensures that height is appropriate for the period.

Situations that negatively affect prenatal and postnatal growth and development cause short stature. Individuals whose height is not at the desired height resort to methods such as height increase surgery.

What is Height Enlargement Surgery?

Genetic factors, mother’s smoking during pregnancy, lack of breast milk after birth, inadequate nutrition during the complementary feeding period and some diseases cause height to be shorter than it should be. Height increase methods are used when the height is not within the required range according to age and gender or the individual wants to be taller than his current height. Height enlargement surgery is also performed in cases where one leg is shorter than the other.

Height enlargement surgery involves a slow and controlled procedure that usually takes weeks. This procedure involves leg bones such as femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone); It allows gradual lengthening of soft tissues such as muscles, skin and nerves. During the surgery, the tibia and femur are lengthened. If the doctor deems it appropriate, both bones can be lengthened. The procedure includes four main procedures: surgery, postoperative rest and observation, the bones starting to lengthen, and the bones healing by growing and hardening. General anesthesia is applied before surgery. During the postoperative rest period, the bones are rested for 5-7 days and no external bone lengthening is performed. In the next stage, the bone lengthening process is started by separating the two bone pieces from each other using a limb lengthening device. The lengthening process is continued daily until the bones reach the desired length. Applying regular physical therapy and performing the recommended exercises during the extension phase helps maintain bone strength and mobility. The last stage, when the bone grows and hardens, occurs with the accumulation of calcium in the new bone structure. At this stage, the doctor recommends putting weight on your feet and walking. Thus, the new bone is strengthened. It is also important at this stage to pay attention to a balanced diet and to follow a diet rich in protein, vitamins and minerals to increase bone strength.

In lengthening surgery, the bone to be lengthened is divided into two parts. An orthopedic limb lengthening device is placed to lengthen the bone. There are two devices used in limb lengthening. These:

Internal Device: It is an orthopedic limb lengthening method used to place a device inside the bone. The placed device can be controlled from outside. It is one of the internal devices used in precision nail lengthening.
External Fixator: In this method, also known as the external method, a lengthening device that remains outside the body is used.

Structures that support bone, such as muscles and nerves, are also structures that are treated in lengthening surgery. For example, the Achilles tendon is also lengthened to support a lengthening procedure on the tibia.

Why is Height Enlargement Surgery Performed?

Some medical conditions affect the growth and development of limbs. polio, cerebral palsy that affects posture and proper movement, birth defects of bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments,

As a result of hip disorders such as Legg-Perthes disease, short, weak and tight muscles, injuries and bone fractures, growth and development are affected and the limbs cannot reach the required length. If the limbs are not of the desired length or equality, lengthening surgery is performed. Some situations where lengthening surgery is performed are as follows:

Children whose bones are still growing
Children with problems with their growth plates
Adults who are short or want to add a few inches to their height
People who have suffered a physical injury that shortens or lengthens their limbs

How Much Does Height Enlargement Surgery Affect Your Height?

With height enlargement surgery, up to 15 cm of height can be increased. Growth after surgery is usually around 2 cm. If the person wishes and the doctor deems it appropriate, the surgeries can be repeated at regular intervals to ensure further lengthening of the bone.

What are the risks of height enlargement surgery?

Lengthening surgery is a surgery that requires certain pre- and post-procedure procedures and recovery takes time. There are some risks after the surgery, depending on the course of the surgery, a healthy post-operative period, and the genetic characteristics of the person. These risks are as follows:

Infection at the needle site
joint dislocation
Injuries to blood vessels
Infection in bones
muscle contractions
Nerve damage
Bones forming earlier or later than necessary
Bones not sticking together

Observation after lengthening surgery is important to detect and control side effects early. Changes in skin color and sudden decreases and increases in body temperature should be monitored in the postoperative period. The recovery process after lengthening surgery varies from person to person. For example, bone growth is slower in individuals who have diabetes or smoke.

How Long is the Recovery Time After Height Increase Surgery?

Recovery after lengthening surgery varies depending on the individual and the procedure performed. If the individual has any disease, has a strong musculoskeletal system, and does not have harmful habits, this accelerates the healing process. In addition, the extent to which the bone is lengthened and the increase in the number of surgeries also affect the healing process. While postoperative recovery is faster in bones that are lengthened to a lesser extent, the number of repeated surgeries and the greater desired increase in bone length delay the healing process.

Bone healing occurs faster in children than in adults. After the bone reaches the desired length, the healing process begins to accelerate. Generally, walking without crutches can be started within 2-3 months after the surgery.

Health is an important concept that affects human life. Today, developments in health technologies enable people to live a better quality of life. Going for routine hospital check-ups and having the required examinations done on time is important in preventing and early treatment of diseases. You can prevent undesirable situations and continue your life with a better quality by having regular health checks.