By Dr. Banerjee
The Science of Limb Lengthening
Limb lengthening is a procedure that utilizes the body’s natural regenerative potential to create new bone. Through a combination of biological principles and modern medical technology, professionals have devised methods to increase the length of limbs safely and effectively. This approach reflects a careful application of knowledge about the body’s ability to heal and regenerate, demonstrating the advancements in the field of orthopaedics.
How Does Limb Lengthening Work?
At its core, limb lengthening is a surgical procedure designed to augment the length of a limb. While traditionally utilized to rectify pronounced discrepancies in leg length or anomalies in bone growth, the method has also seen increasing adoption for cosmetic height enhancement. The principle on which this technique hinges is the body’s innate capability to produce new bone, along with the necessary soft tissues, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves.
Height Enhancement in Action
Here’s how limb lengthening works in a step-by-step manner.
Preparing the Bone
The target bone, whether it be the tibia or femur, undergoes a surgical procedure called an osteotomy to meticulously separate it into two distinct sections. Over the next few months, these segments will be slowly pulled apart to elongate the bone.
Introducing the Lengthening Device
The Precice implant, an internal limb lengthening device, is then carefully positioned within the bone. This device is responsible for slowly separating the bone fragments, creating a small gap where new bone tissue will form.
The Body’s Role
As the Precice implant pulls the treated bone apart, the body naturally responds by producing new bone tissue to bridge the gap. This biological response elongates the limb and ensures the new bone integrates seamlessly into the existing structure.
Post-Treatment Healing
After you’ve achieved your desired height, the bone will need time to heal and solidify. During the lengthening and recovery phases, physical therapy will help keep the bones, joints and muscles strong and healthy to ensure the best results.
The Precice System
As the field of orthopaedic surgery continues to evolve, Dr. Banerjee has chosen the Precice system as his limb-lengthening solution of choice. What makes this method superior?
The Precice implant is an internal telescoping device that lengthens your bone from within the body. Unlike external fixators, which are bulky, metal apparatuses attached to the bone with special wires or pins that pass through the skin and muscle, internal devices provide a more comfortable solution to limb lengthening with minimal pain and scarring. Instead of lengthening the bone by turning adjustable struts, the Precice implant is equipped with a proprietary magnetic motor that responds to an external controller. This innovation enables the device to extend remotely, augmenting the bone’s length by approximately 1 mm daily.
Other benefits of the Precice system include:
- Quicker recovery
- Enhanced comfort
- More aesthetically pleasing
- Minimal scarring
- Improved quality of life
The Precice implant is the result of a fusion between technology and medicine. As we move away from the challenges of external fixators, internal devices provide a superior way to lengthen the bone that offers both efficacy and enhanced patient comfort. Dr. Banerjee’s choice of the Precice system isn’t merely about adopting a modern technique — it’s about championing a method that places your well-being at the forefront of treatment.
“Limb lengthening is a testament to the marvels of medical science. It’s not merely about extending bones but harnessing the body’s innate regenerative abilities to bring transformative change. Every millimeter we add is backed by meticulous research and precision.”
Dr. Banerjee
4090 Mapleshade Lane
Ste 100
Plano, TX 75093
Phone: (214) 592-9955
Fax: (214) 592-9935
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