Double lengthening with Dr. Guichet (femur) and Dr. Catagni-Dr. Pili (tibia)
Hi everybody,
i decided to share my experience with the people in doubt about which bone to lengthen and which doctor to choose.
Long story short:
on 2013 i had a simultaneous femur lengthening on both legs with Dr. Guichet. Result: 6cm in approx. 6 months (the time for me is from the surgery to the return to a normal life). First 3 months really tough, then it gets better. About this experience i had only one big problem regarding the right leg: a flexed point between the biceps femoris and the gastrocnemius. After one year and half i removed the intramedullary nails (i.n.).
On 2019 i had a simultaneous tibia (and fibula) lengthening on both legs with Dr. Catagni and Dr. Pili. Result: 6cm in 14 months with the necessity to make 4 surgeries. The first removal of the external fixators (e.f.) was done after 8 months but the bones were not completely fixed, so it was necessary to put back the fixators again. Comparing the e.f. with the i.n. i can see only one positive aspect for the e.f.: less pain during the first months, but the negative aspects are really a lot: you cannot predict the time you will keep them, i mean i talked with people that kept them for one year and i can assure you that you can be easily devastated from that. They're bulky and it's always difficult to make any daily action like for example having a shower; forget about the possibility to go out: everyone can see them and have a bad reaction; psychologically it is difficult to accept seeing the legs with such horrible devices, now i understand why for many people there's a psychological refusal to keep them; take care of the wound is also difficult and risky.
Talking about the choice of the doctor i can tell you this: i decided to make the lengthening for tibia with a different doctor than Guichet only because of the money. I thought that Catagni for his experience about the tibia lengthening together with a better price was the best choice for me but unfortunately it was not at all.
Catagni is a doctor that treat many people with physical problems (like for example people affected by dwarfism) and he doesn't care about the fact that there is huge difference with the people that want a lengthening for cosmetic reasons. The consequence is that the preparation of the patient and the follow-up are dramatically poor.
Catagni didn't inform me about the type of surgery, about the difference between the i.n. and the e.f. (despite with Pili they make both), together with Pili they don't have a protocol to follow, they're just interested to make the surgery and then you have to wait, preferably without questions. The communication is really bad, no possibility to have a mobile number of them (Guichet was always present at the phone in case of need), no program about making physiotherapy. You just have a monthly (very expensive) visit where they check the growing of the bones but without interest about other needs. I think this is above all because the price is very cheap compared to the one of Guichet.
Just to be more clear about the superficiality of the post surgery: i received the method to make the lengthening from Dr. Pili but it was a wrong one! Because he didn't talk with Catagni about the fact that my case was a "2 points bone dissection". The result was that in the first ten days I shorten the distance between the bones instead of lengthening it. Also the choice to remove the e.f. with the bone not fixed was for me catastrophic, but this happened because Catagni assured me to reach the same result in cm i had with Guichet in the same period. But with the e.f. you cannot make an exact plan and the risks are so high. Also he never mentioned to me that after the removal of the e.f. you need to keep a plaster-cast for minimum another month. Just think about the situation where you believe you are near the end of your very tough process and, despite the fixators, you are now able to walk well enough...in that moment you receive the news to change the e.f. with plaster-cast that start from the femur and reaching up to cover the whole foot, again enormously limiting your ability to walk.
I attach a picture done today regarding my lower part of the legs where you still can see the scars after 22 months of the last surgery and I attach also a picture of the scar regarding the femur lengthening done with Guichet.
So folks my suggestion is to look for doctors that they give you a "complete package". The informations before the surgery and the follow-up are very important. If the doctor don't give you enough informations it's better to look for someone else: this was my biggest mistake with Catagni.
I'm open to questions if this can help you.
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Topic: Double lengthening with Dr. Guichet (femur) and Dr. Catagni-Dr. Pili (tibia) (Read 445 times)