Dr.
Kevin Debiparshad, surgeon and orthopedic specialist claims he has developed a procedure in which the leg bones will be cut, and then a device will be inserted that will slowly stretch them out with the help of remote control.
The price is not cheap, the special treatment is priced at $75,000.
One patient praised the height treatment and said that it gave a huge boost in his confidence. The patient is Irving Rodríguez, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, was 5ft 4in tall when he first visited LimbplastX Institute in Las Vegas in December 2019, but six months later he now stands at 5ft 6.7in.
“I first decided that I wanted to change my height when I was in high school,” Rodríguez said.
“There were always social remarks, such as small jokes about being short, and I was even considered unfit for certain positions just because of my below-average height.”
“I had my surgery in December 2019 and my initial height was 165cm (5ft 4in). I chose The LimbplastX Institute as I knew that Dr. Debiparshad used the best technology to perform this procedure.”
“As a fellow doctor myself, I know how important technology is to the success of a procedure like this, so that was very important to me.”
Rodríguez admitted that the procedure was painful, but says the results can be seen fast.
“It took about six months to heal and I can sometimes feel the rigidness as I continue the lengthening process,” the patient said.
“Initially, it was one of the most painful experiences in my life, as with any surgery, but the pain became very manageable with proper medication and therapy.”
“[The results] were evident very quickly after surgery. I started using the external remote control a couple of days after the procedure and it increased my height about 1mm a day until I reached my ideal height.”
Dr. Debiparshad explained how the treatment works, he said: “Cosmetic limb-lengthening is an elective procedure where I cut the leg bones – either the femur (upper leg bone) or tibia (lower leg bone) – and insert a device that slowly stretches them out to permanently extend a person’s height.”
“It’s an X-ray based surgery where I make four to six small incisions into the leg, allowing access to the hollow part of the bone, where I insert a device that responds to an external remote control that the patient controls at home.”
“Once the device is set, I place screws at the top and bottom of the device to lock into position. This is done on each leg. Post-surgery, the external remote control is used by the patient to simply increase their height by 1mm per day at the touch of a button, slowly stretching the legs to increase their height.”
“Patients can expect to gain up to six inches in height across two lengthening surgeries. This bone-lengthening process is usually painless, and the surgery takes about an hour and a half to complete.”
“Patients begin physical therapy the next day, and can expect to get back to normal activities within a couple of weeks post-surgery.”
Regarding the risks, Dr. Debiparshad added: “Similar to any other type of surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection or transfusion, and specific to this surgery, the bone may heal too quickly, not fast enough or the patient could experience muscle tightening.”
“Additionally, patients may lose some high-level athletic ability to get to that end-stage. It is important to keep in mind that there is a trade-off with everything.”
However, Rodríguez is satisfied with his results, he said: “I feel like I am in complete harmony. My torso and lower body proportions are much better, and they look more adequate in my opinion.”
“Other than my wardrobe that fits much better, I do feel a sense of better social acknowledgment.”
“The psychology of height has always been a big factor in social acceptance, I believe, and it can even impact an individual’s economic and relationship success. Overall, it has given me a huge boost in confidence personally and professionally.”