Insertion of Metal Rod After Cutting the Leg Bone
A story has been revealed about a man in his 20s from the United States who was teased for his short height and underwent limb lengthening surgery, resulting in a 20.5cm increase in height.
According to the British media outlet The Sun, Leon, a 23-year-old man living in the U.S., was teased from a young age due to his short stature. He stated, "I was ostracized among friends because of my short height," and had endured stress for a long time.
Leon, who underwent limb lengthening surgery for the first time in 2023, increased his height from 171.5cm to 182cm through femur (thigh bone) surgery. Later, by the end of 2024, he extended another 10cm, making his current height 192cm. Leon shared this story and posted related videos on TikTok. The video recorded about 2.1 million views. Leon said, "Those who used to look down on me now look up to me," and added, "I was so moved after the surgery that I almost cried."
However, Leon endured significant pain during this process. The LON method he chose is a major surgery that involves drilling holes into the leg bone, cutting it, and inserting a metal rod to fix it. The metal rod is gradually lengthened by up to 1mm daily. However, after this surgery, daily rehabilitation therapy is required for several months, and it takes considerable time to regain mobility.
Limb lengthening surgery, which extends the arms and legs, is generally considered for patients who have a significant length difference between both legs or arms or who are pathologically short. Usually, limb lengthening surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Stainless steel pins or metal screws are inserted into the bone and fixed to an external fixator designed to fit the patient's body, and the bone to be lengthened is surgically cut.
Starting from 5 to 7 days after surgery, the screws of the lengthening device are turned to begin stretching the bone, increasing it by 0.5 to 1mm per day. By this principle, new bone forms in the space between the bones, lengthening the bone. Once the newly formed bone is sufficiently stable, the external fixator is removed and protected with a plaster cast. The treatment period varies by individual, but it is known to take about 1 to 2 months to lengthen by 1cm on average.
As side effects, nerves, blood vessels, and muscles may not extend as much as the bone lengthens. In such cases, nerve paralysis or vascular problems can cause bleeding, compartment syndrome, and in severe cases, necrosis where bone and flesh rot. There is a risk of various complications such as nerve damage, thrombosis, and failure of the bone to properly unite.
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