Dr. Alexander Kirienko (Milan, Italy) - Ilizarov Tibia

Hello
I'm a 1,62cm guy from Rome, italy. Probably one of the shortest here. My goal is to reach 168cm (I know it's still short but it's more frequent among the population than 162, at least in central-southern italy)
So my goal is to lenghten 6 or 6.5 cm.

My doctors said that theoretically it's possible to reach 8 cm but it depents on the patient. It also suggested me to not go beyond 6, maximum 7 cm because I have short arms.

I had surgery with doctor Kirienko on october 11 of this year at Humanitas Research Hospital of Rozzano (Milan, Italy). The cost was 22k euros.
X-ray follow ups every 2 weeks at "Villa Stuart" in Rome.

Lenghtening started on october 16 a 1mm/day. I'm currently at 4cm and some minor bone callus startes showing up. The knee and ankle starts to oppose resistance. Especially knee extension is hard, but I reach full 180 degrees with stretching. I *should* reach 6 cm easily since there are still no clinically relevant contractures.

Only had on minor complication: slight procurvatum on left tibia. Doctors says it can happen because the gastrocnemius muscles push the tibia from behind. After the lenghtening ends, it will be easily solved by adjusting the proximal ring of the fixator by using hinges. No need for surgery thanks to the ilizarov apparatus.

Feel free to ask any question

Are you using LON (lengthening over nail) or just fully externals?

Just classic circular external frames, nothing internal.

do you mind uploading your x-rays?

sure, but I only have printed version from 2 weeks ago x-rays, at about 2,5cm and still no callus.
As soon as I get the new one printed from the clinic (I couldn't yesterday because I had another appointment later I will also post them)

Quote from: saltedchocolate on November 26, 2023, 02:58:55 PMdo you mind uploading your x-rays?

Here you go, these are from 2 weeks ago.
Sorry for the quality but by pc doesn't have a cd reader

You can see in the first image a slight procurvatum deformity. This should be fixed easily thanks to the hinges already attached to the fixator.
The cut is not clean probably because the didn't use the saw but rather the classic osteotome. His assistant told me that the saw generates too much heat.
Doctor says it's all good except for the procurvatum.

 

Good luck on your recovery i hope everything goes well!

Best of luck, this is the safest method but will take time.

hey there any nerve pain yet? i got nerve pain at 4.5 cm . on my foot it was a burning sensation. i stopped lengthening at 5.5 cm couldnt take it anymore and got bored but should of continue. my neighbors did 8 cm . so if u got alot of time try aiming for 7.5 cm really. if u want to go femur then different story. alot of my doctor's patient did 7cm . on youtube too. they probably manage through the nerve pain but thats the only way to get more cm.
after removing the frames u feel really good but theres still a long road ahead of u. u still need learn to walk again.

My main problem as of now is knee extension so i'm doing a lot of physical therapy (3 time a week + stretching when I'm alone). Sometimes I have burning sensation on my foot and ankle but it passes if I take tramadol.

I won't go over 7cm, probably neither over 6.5. My doctor said that in theory you can lenghten up to 8cm but it depends on the patient and I also have short arms so He discourages me to go over 6-7.
He says that from 5 to 6 is hard, 6 to 7 is harder and 7 to 8 really hard.