In part 1 of this article, I talked about the Ilizarov Method of leg lengthening. This section talks about the second type of surgery offered at the Betz Institute in Germany.
The Betz Institute
Procedure
There are six steps to reaching new heights at the Betz
Institute: consultation, surgery, hospitalization, lengthening, consolidation, and
removal of the device. Much like the preparation stages in the Ilizarov method,
the consultation stage at Betz is for an explanation of all aspects of the
procedure, a discussion of internal/external lengthening, and to have both X-rays
and a physical evaluation.
The surgery at the Betz Institute takes about 4 ½ hours. A
small skin incision is made at the head of the femur or tibia. The bone is then
cut from the inside with a special intramedullary saw that is inserted through
the incision for minimal scarring. A nail is is also inserted through this
incision. Once inserted, the nail is secured with interlocking screws at both
ends of the bone. After surgery, the
patient stays at the Institute for 6 - 10 days for physical therapy that consists
of light stretching, strength training, and massage therapy. Before being
released from the hospital, the patient is taught how to use crutches properly.
Lengthening begins on the third or fourth day after surgery.
As with the Ilizarov method, the bone grows at about 1 mm a day. X-rays are
scheduled for every 4 - 5 weeks, and physical therapy 2 - 4 times a week. Once
the desired length is achieved, consolidation begins. First, X-rays are used to
determine the amount of calcium present in the bone. This process can take
about 6-8 weeks. The final stage, removal of the device, involves removing the
nail a year or two after lengthening. Typically, this is an outpatient
procedure. Patients are able to resume normal activity between the end of
consolidation and device removal.
How Far Would You Go?
It has been estimated that around 4,000 people have
undergone this risky and painful surgery. It is increasingly popular,
especially for "medical tourists" who go to countries like Brazil, China,
and Egypt
where surgeries are often cheaper. Is paying upwards of $100,000 worth an extra
couple of inches? For people with medical conditions, I can understand why this
is necessary; however, from a purely cosmetic perspective, I can't understand
the reasoning. But I can say that writing this article made me cringe many,
many times!
So what do you think?
- What
is wrong with being "short"?
- Do you
feel that "tall" people are more advantaged?
- Is the
"beauty" industry getting out of control?
Resources:
http://www.betzinstitute.com/procedure.htm#1
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/06/17/elective-surgery-to.html
http://men.style.com/details/features/landing?id=content_6838
http://www.betterhumans.com/blogs/articles/archive/2007/06/26/Make-me-taller.aspxhttp://www.shortsupport.org/Health/Leg-Lengthening/procedure.html
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