Limb Lengthening FAQ

An orthopedic procedure that permanently lengthens the femur or tibia. The surgeon cuts the bone (osteotomy) and separates the segments about 1 mm per day; the body fills the gap with new bone through distraction osteogenesis. Hardware, an internal nail, external fixator, or both, controls the process.

Yes. The regenerate bone consolidates into normal, permanent bone with the same strength as the rest of your skeleton. Your new height does not reverse.

Typically 6-8 cm on the femur or 5-7 cm on the tibia per procedure. Staged femur + tibia plans can total 12-15 cm. Safe limits are set by soft tissue tolerance, not by bone.

Roughly 9-18 months: one surgery week, distraction at ~10 days per centimeter, consolidation at ~1 month per centimeter, then progressive rehab back to full activity.

Healthy adults 18-55 with closed growth plates, BMI under ~30, no uncontrolled chronic disease, realistic goals, and commitment to months of daily physiotherapy. We confirm candidacy from standing long-leg X-rays and your health history, free.

Growth plates must be closed, so 18 is the practical minimum; most cosmetic patients are 20-45. Beyond 55, healing slows and candidacy is assessed case by case rather than ruled out automatically.

Not while actively smoking. Nicotine measurably slows bone formation and raises non-union risk. Stop all nicotine at least 6 weeks before surgery and through consolidation.

Not mandatory, many patients come alone and are supported daily by the team, but a companion for the first 2-3 weeks makes the hardest stretch easier. Companion accommodation can be added to your package.

LON costs less and lets you walk with a walker within days, but uses an external frame for 2-3 months. Precice 2 is fully internal with minimal scarring, but costs more and restricts weight-bearing during lengthening. Anatomy can decide it too, the nail must fit your bone canal. Full comparison →

The femur allows more gain, tolerates lengthening better, and consolidates faster, so it's the default for pure height. The tibia suits patients whose proportions favor longer shins or staged combined plans.

About 2.5-4 hours for bilateral lengthening under general anesthesia, then 4-5 nights in hospital for pain control, first steps, and physiotherapy.

Precice 2 leaves a few small keyhole scars near the hip or knee. LON adds pin-site marks that fade significantly over 12-18 months. Neither requires long incisions.

Hospital pain is well controlled. Distraction feels like deep muscle tightness, aching, and disturbed sleep, most intense mid-phase and at night. Demanding, but manageable with medication, stretching, and physio; very few patients stop for pain alone.

Assisted walking: days (LON) to weeks. Remote/desk work: 2-3 weeks post-op. Flying home: ~month 3. Driving: when you can perform an emergency stop, usually months 4-6. Unassisted walking: months 5-6.

Swimming and cycling by months 4-6, light jogging around months 9-12 once X-rays confirm consolidation, contact sports and heavy lifting at 12-18 months.

Fully consolidated bone is as strong as native bone. Muscle strength dips during lengthening and is rebuilt in rehab; within safe limits and with completed rehab, patients return to normal strength, most to their previous sports.

Surgery, implants, anesthesia, hospital stay, accommodation through distraction, daily physiotherapy, all scheduled imaging and tests, medications, mobility aids, transfers, 24/7 English-speaking coordination, LON frame removal, and remote follow-up. Flights and personal spending are the main extras. Full cost guide →

Plan for 2-3 months: surgery week plus supervised distraction at ~10 days per centimeter. Precice 2 patients may be cleared to continue at home earlier, at the surgeon's discretion.

Common and manageable: pin-site infection, muscle tightness, joint stiffness, temporary nerve irritation, delayed consolidation. Rare but serious: deep infection, blood clots, axis deviation, hardware problems. Strict candidacy, the 1 mm/day rate, anticoagulation protocol, and daily physio are how we minimize them. The honest risk section →

You keep a direct WhatsApp line to the medical team, send scheduled X-rays for remote review, and carry a written aftercare protocol any local orthopedist can follow. Revision terms are defined in your agreement before you pay a deposit.