Here is the response from ZEM Germany headed by Dr Rainer Baumgart based in Munich, Germany
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http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=55.0
Method Of Surgery" The Fitbone-implant is the world mostly high-developed fully implantable, programmable, motorized device for limb lengthening. Cosmetic lengthening can be done at the femur or at the tibia but also simultaneously at both bones. In normal proportioned people lengthening of more than 5cm (2 inches) only at the femur or at the tibia creates disproportions, which is not advantageous.
Lengthening the tibia is normally more effective because you have visible landmarks as the knee and the ankle joint, so if the tibia is really long, people suggest the person is tall. The femur offers no visible landmark at the hip joint. Short women know to compensate the short legs, while wearing special designed dresses with deep cutting at the hip, which makes the leg virtually longer.
If you want to get more than 5cm (2 inches), it is normally necessary to lengthen femur and tibia simultaneously. With this procedure you can reach 10-15cm (4-6 inches) or even more, but in most cases the relationship to the frame becomes disadvantageous if you lengthen more than about 10cm (4 inches).
In the ZEM-Germany more than 1000 Fitbone-implantations (worldwide about 2000 Fitbone-operations) were done so this is the most experienced place all over the world. For cosmetic lengthening we offer a special program to shorten the time of the hospital stay, get a sufficient physiotherapy and makes the treatment in a hotel environment as much comfortable as possible. "
Lengthening Options"Principally you can choose between two variants: The fast variant bends you in a wheelchair for about 6-8 months. It is technical possible to cut all bones on both sides in the same operation and to implant 4 distraction nails, but it is much saver, for example not to get a lung embolism, to do it in two steps with a recovery period of about 4 weeks between these two operations. The time of treatment is nearly the same and you get familiar with the system time by time.
The second variant takes double of time but you always have one leg for full load bearing and you don't need a wheelchair at any time. First you lengthen one side and wear a special designed shoe at the other side. After consolidation you lengthen the second leg and reduce the shoe step by step - all the time you are able to walk around with crutches.
We offer a high standard of quality control to guarantee a perfect length equality and alignment. But even if the risk is minimized the result never can be guaranteed, there is always a remaining risk like nerve damages, joint problems or bad bone formation. You have to consider, that cosmetic limb lengthening is an invasive procedure and best for your health is to accept your original height. "
Pricing " The cost of lengthening for both femurs and both tibias, to increase your body hight 10-15cm (4-6 inches) is about 120-160,000 Euro, including 4 Fitbone-implants, the hospital stay (1 week), all costs of operation, anaesthesia, x-rays, ambulant controls and physiotherapy.
Not included are the hotel stay and the physiotherapy for all the time not being at the hospital. Depending on what you are doing, you are not able to do your job while walking with crutches. So you should not calculate with the lowest costs and get into severe problems if something is going wrong, because you should never forget that complications are rare but not only theory.
Last not least - we like to treat you but we want you to understand the treatment with all its fantastic perspectives but also its risks and we want you to feel responsible for your own body. To get an optimal result we always will do our best. For geometrical evaluation of your limbs and a personal talk get in contact with us (+49-89-5434 896-12, mondays to fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m.) and ask for an appointment. "
Contact Berit Weyhausen
Assistant
ZEM - Germany
Limb Lengthening Center Munich / Germany
Address: Nymphenburger Str. 1, D - 80335 München
Telephone +49 89 5434896-12
Fax +49 89 5434896-19
Email: weyhausen@zem-germany.de
Website:
www.zem-germany.de http://www.beinverlaengerung.de/
Author
Topic: Dr Rainer Baumgart (Munich, Germany) ZEM Germany (Read 22829 times)