Specialist Doctors Say, "We Don't Recommend Limb Lengthening Surgery for Cosmetic Purposes"

“It will become the second bimaxillary osteotomy surgery. I am fundamentally against limb lengthening surgery for cosmetic purposes.”

Professor Dong-hoon Lee (42) of the Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction Center at Bundang CHA Hospital met with a reporter from the Kyunghyang Shinmun on the 29th and explained the dangers of limb lengthening surgery by comparing it to bimaxillary osteotomy. Professor Lee said, "In the past, bimaxillary osteotomy was a surgery that doctors avoided even in dentistry and plastic surgery. However, as the market gradually became saturated and demand increased, doctors flocked to it." He added, "Bimaxillary osteotomy, which has high added value, has become popular, and limb lengthening surgery is similar to the early stages of bimaxillary osteotomy."

He pointed out, “The side effects that occur when doctors who have not yet developed sufficient skills perform this surgery are serious. Currently, side effects are occurring frequently, and many cases of significant damage, such as with bimaxillary osteotomy, will occur.” He also said, “Because appearance is emphasized, hospitals are emerging that recommend this surgery for cosmetic purposes, and demand has increased, but it is like carrying a straw bag past a fire.”

Professor Song Hae-ryong, head of the Orthopedic Department at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, “Problems mainly arise when surgery is performed at some private hospitals.” He added, “This surgery was popular in China in the past, and the number of private hospitals increased, but because they could not handle complications well, the Chinese government only allowed surgery at recognized locations.” He continued, “Because the more the length is increased, the more complications occur, patients should be cautious.”

Professor Park Gwang-won of the Orthopedic Department at Korea University Guro Hospital said, “In many cases, limb lengthening surgery is simply thought of as a surgery to increase height, but it is a surgery that cuts the bone and fixes it with steel pins to fill the gap, and there are many complications such as nerve damage.” He also said, “The problem is that awareness of side effects has not increased along with the popularity of the surgical method.”

Professor Park Hee-wan of the Orthopedic Department at Gangnam Severance Hospital said that advertising by some private hospitals that “it is possible to increase up to 10 cm” is “nonsense.” He said, “The range in which muscle damage can be minimized is about 15% of the total leg length, and the maximum length that can be increased is about 5 to 7 cm.” He added, “Private hospital doctors are also people who have learned all the basic principles, but if they perform surgery like that, the probability of nerve and blood vessel damage is high, and joint contracture occurs, causing many complications. It is also dangerous because it is not proportionally correct.”

                                                                                                                     [The Kyunghyang Shinmun] Reporters Park Soon-bong and Kim Ji-won

“It will become a trend like bimaxillary operation. I fundamentally oppose against Ilizarov surgery for cosmetical purposes.”

On 29th, Professor Dong-Hun Lee (42) from limb lengthening correction center, Bundang Cha-hospital met with reporter from Kyung-hyang newspaper and explained the risk of Ilizarov surgery comparing against bimaxillary operation. Lee said, “In the past, bimaxillary operation was avoided even within in dentistry and cosmetic surgery. However as the market got larger and demand was increased, doctors were drawn into it. Bimaxillary operation which had added value became popular and current situation of Ilizarov surgery is similar to early stage of bimaxillary operation.”

He pointed out “the adverse effect occuring from surgery performed by un-matured doctors is severe. At this moment, adverse effects continuously appear and huge damage case will appear. Due to atmosphere of emphaszing on physical appearance, demand for Ilizarov surgery and number of hospitals recommending it increased. However it is just like case of walking next to fire with haystack.”

Professor Hae-Ryong Song, chief surgeon of orthopaedic department, Korea University Kuro hospital said, “usually accidents occur when surgeries are performed at private hospitals. In the past the surgery became popular in China and several hospital based on Iliarov surgery opened. However as they could not take care of complications, only hospitals authorized by Chinese government are able to perform surgery. Also patients need to be careful as risk of complications increase as degree of lengthening increases.”

Professor Gwang-Won Park, orthopaedic department, Korea University Kuro hospital said, “Public often takes Ilizarov surgery as simple surgery increasing your height however it is a procedure of severing a bone followed by fixating with metal wire and fill the gap with huge risk of complications including nerve damage. Public not being aware of adverse effect whilst surgery became popular, is the problem.”

Professor Hee-wan Park, orthopaedic surgery Gangnam Severance hospital affirmed that a few private hospitals advertising “can increase the height up to 10cm” is completely false. He said, “Range of minimizing muscle damage is 15% of total leg length and between 5 and 7cm is the maximum. Doctors of private hospitals are graduates of medical school who learnt all the fundamentals. They should know that it is dangerous to perform surgery in such manner and increase risk of nerve and vessel damage and arthrogryposis.”

[출처]

[The Kyunghyang Shinmun]  Article about specialist doctors "do not recommend limb lengthening surgery(Ilizarov surgery) for cosmetical purposes" published. 2013.08.30

[The Kyunghyang Shinmun]

Specialists “do not recommend limb lengthening surgery(Ilizarov surgery) for cosmetical purposes”. Aug 30, 2013

링크 : http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201308300000035&code=940601