Does CLL help advance medical research & development?

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I was having a think about the ethics concerning Cosmetic Limb Lengthening (CLL), and one of the pro’s I thought about would be extra funding & data for this field of medicine.

Do you think that having more patients (commercial patients)  using Stryde, Fitbone, Precise etc. along with various techniques such as ITB release etc. helps the medical researchers to improve devices & procedures that are made for medical reasons?

As in, CLL helps improve the methods & devices for lengthening which are then applied to patients who need it for medical reasons like children with one limb not growing properly, so they in turn will have a better outcome?

Or is the impact from CLL on improving tech & research in this field negligible?

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No, because these devices are far more commonly used to treat deformities and accidents. Being able to apply it to patients looking at it for purely cosmetic reasons is just an added feature.

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not really i agree with the post above. ll is mostly a byproduct of limb discrepancy treatments

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Just thought I would add this. From Paley’s scientific publication in 2020 about Stryde it does actually seem like over 50% of the studied cases were CLL which would make it quite a contribution to the research of new LL methods which can then be applied for medical reasons:

QuoteAbstract:

Since May 2018, 106 patients (187 limb segments) have completed internal lengthening with the Stryde implant. Fifty-seven skeletally mature patients (12 female and 45 male) underwent cosmetic stature lengthening of the femur (41), tibia (4), or combined bilateral femur and tibia (12). Forty-nine other patients (ages 9 to 60 y) with a variety of limb length discrepancy etiologies including metabolic, congenital, genetic, and posttraumatic, underwent unilateral lengthening of the femur (37) or tibia (12). All patients undergoing lengthening alone were allowed immediate full weight-bearing as tolerated. Patients with secondary ipsilateral acute deformity corrections had restricted weight-bearing until sufficient healing was present at the metaphyseal site. The mechanical axis deviation following lengthening was not statistically significantly related to limb segment, patient weight, nail diameter, or distraction amount, but tended towards varus in the femurs and valgus in the tibias. Fifty-two stature patients and 43 unilateral patients lengthened to within 10 and 5 mm of their goals, respectively. One tibial nail stopped functioning prematurely and was exchanged to complete the lengthening. Seven patients required secondary unplanned operations. Successful outcomes were achieved in all patients. Strict adherence to careful preoperative planning, and postoperative lengthening protocols including specialized limb lengthening physiotherapy are important to the success. There were no issues related to biological incompatibility of the Biodur 108 alloy stainless steel from which the implant was fabricated.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343927716_Stryde_Weight-bearing_Internal_Lengthening_Nail