Indications for Cosmetic Limb Lengthening

Stature (height) lengthening is indicated for patients with:

Short height as a result of some clinical conditions which are called dysplasias (eg, achondroplasia, hypochondroplasia). The goal in these cases is to increase the height so that the patients are comfortable with their daily life ( reaching switches, working at a desk, driving etc).
Constitutional short stature- These patients are significantly shorter than the mean height of their relevant age, sex and population group without evidence of systemic, endocrine, nutritional, or genetic diseases.
Height dysphoria- These patients may or may not be shorter than their relevant age, sex and population group. Their main feature is that they experience neurotic stress and discomfort because they perceive themselves as short. Some cases of height dysphoria are related to cultural and societal norms and expectations while some others are career related. The aim of treatment in these cases is quite often set by the patients themselves ( by asking specific numbers of cm or inches of lengthening). From a medical point, the goal is to educate the patient about their expectation, to assess them about the possible need for psychological input and to deliver the planned outcome without complications and with good limb function.

References
1. Paley D. Current techniques of limb lengthening. J Pediatr Orthop. 1988;8:73–92.

2. Cattaneo R, Villa A, Catagni M, et al. Limb lengthening in achondroplasia by Ilizarov’s method. Int Orthop. 1988;12:173–179.

3. Correll J, Held P. Limb lengthening in dwarfism. Orthopade. 2000; 29:787–794.

4. Aldegheri R, Dall’Oca C. Limb lengthening in short stature patients. J Pediatr Orthop B. 2001;10:238–247.

5. Noonan KJ, Leyes M, Forriol F, et al. Distraction osteogenesis of the lower extremity with use of monolateral external fixation. A study of two hundred and sixty-one femora and tibiae. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1998;80:793–806.

6. Catagni MA, Lovisetti L, Guerreschi F, et al. Cosmetic bilateral leg lengthening: experience of 54 cases. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2005;87: 1402–1405.

7. Novikov KI, Subramanyam KN, Muradisinov SO, et al. Cosmetic lower limb lengthening by Ilizarov apparatus: what are the risks? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2014;472:3549–3556.