How Much Does Limb Lengthening Surgery Cost in India?

A limb lengthening surgery, commonly known as height increasing surgery, is done to rectify any discrepancies in the legs in terms of length. Let us take a look at the cost of Limb Lengthening Surgery in India, in this post.

Deformities in limbs can be painful and it may restrict the mobility of a person. Deformities may be due to accidents or may be because of genetic reasons. Irrespective of the cause, it is better to get rid of the deformities if it is restricting the day-to-day activities of a person.

It is quite a relief to know that there are many kinds of surgeries that are available these days which can be used to fix such limb deformities. Here, in this post, we are talking about the procedure as well as the limb lengthening surgery cost in India.

Limb Lengthening or Height Increasing Surgery

The limb lengthening surgeries are kinds of treatments used to replace missing bones as well as to straighten and lengthen the deformed bones. Thus, these surgeries are done to treat deformities caused by accidents or genetic reasons, including complex deformities.

The limb lengthening surgeries have become very popular these days among people who want to fix distortions of their limbs caused by congenital or accidental cases. People within the age group of 18 to 25 years are the ones on whom the limb lengthening surgeries are performed mostly. However, it may be performed on other people up to 60 years of age if required in case of accidental cases.

Limb Lengthening Surgery Cost in India

Limb lengthening surgery is gaining increasing popularity in India. The cost of the surgery in the country ranges between INR 1.5 to INR 8.5 lakh. In urban areas, the cost might range from INR 4.95 lakh to INR 6.11 lakh depending on the kind of hospital and their available amenities.

Since the success rate of the Limb lengthening surgery in India has been 95% and more, that is another reason for its popularity.

Are the Expenses of Limb Lengthening Surgery Easily Affordable in India?

The limb lengthening surgery costs in India is comparatively lower as compared to that of countries like in the US, the UK or in the European nations. So, patients (Indian nationals) undergoing limb strengthening / lengthening surgery cost in India can get the procedure done cost effectively and the final procedure cost will vary as per the requirements or lengthening of the limb of the patient. Further, there are several other factors that affect the height increase surgery cost in India. Some of them include; the kind of hospital you choose for the surgery (private/government), the surgeon who is operating, the complexity of the procedure chosen, post procedure recuperating time and other related factors.

However, despite the so-called affordable cost of limb lengthening surgery in India, it may not suit many low-income people if they do not have right insurance coverage. There are several insurance companies in India who offer coverage of limb lengthening procedures under their plans (applicable only to Indian nationals). With comprehensive health insurance coverage, one can opt to get the surgery done to restore the deformities of their limbs.

How Does the Limb Lengthening Treatment Work?

The process of limb lengthening includes several procedures. One of them is osteotomy, which means cutting the bone into two. It also involves some soft-tissue treatments to prepare the muscles and nerves for the surgery. Your surgeon might use several orthopedic devices for the process such as the Precise nail, an internal device, which is placed into the bone. External fixators like the Taylor Spatial Frame are also used on the outside of the body.

An external fixator is a metal frame that is placed outside the leg and is attached to the bone with the help of screws and wires. It is used to adjust the distance between the two sliced leg bone sections. Internal lengthening nail on the other hand is a mechanical metal rod used in the bone marrow cavity of the leg bone and is rotated with the help of a remote-control device.

After the surgical procedure, bones need to be on rest for 5-7 days to heal, which is called as Latency period. Once this period is over, the orthopedic devices used are adjusted to pull apart the two bone segments in a process called distraction. The area between the two bone segments allows the growth of new bones to extend the length of the bone in a process called Regenerate bone.

During the distraction phase, the patient has to adjust the device used regularly so that moving the bone segments becomes easy at a slow speed of about 0.04 inches every day depending on the bone. Here, the patient’s body is constantly made to produce new bone as well as soft tissues during the gradual distraction phase, which lasts until the expected length of the bone is achieved.

The average length gained each month is around 1 inch. The patient must visit the doctor during this phase regularly. The doctor can control the rate of distraction to speed up or slow down the process. During this time, the patient also required physical therapy 2-5 times per week.

The metal lengthening device is removed through surgery a few months after the desired result is gained.  The new fully developed bone will have the same strength as other bones.

When does one require Limb Lengthening?

People who have any deformities in their limbs require a limb lengthening surgery.  Unequal limbs can be the result of many factors. Some of the popular factors are bone injuries, polio, birth defects and cerebral palsy among others. These reasons are either congenital or hereditary as well as developmental. These abnormalities may also occur due to fracture, bone infection, tumour as well as arthritis.

These days, short heighted people are also getting limb lengthening surgeries to get their height enhanced. And that is the reason why it is called bone-lengthening surgery. With this procedure, people can achieve proper alignment of bones and joints by means of varied surgeries. There are two kinds of corrections done under this treatment. They are – Acute Correction and Gradual Correction.

Acute correction is a method that involves cutting the bone and the procedure is called osteotomy. It also involves shifting the bone units manually. In the Gradual Correction method, osteotomy tension is applied to get bone growth induced.

Does Health Insurance cover Limb Lengthening?

Yes, there are several health insurance plans which offer coverage against limb lengthening. However, most of these plans offer coverage only in case of accidents, while the external anomalies of congenital nature are not covered by them.

These policies mostly cover limb discrepancies that are caused by injuries or accidents because of the restorative nature of the treatment. Further, these restorative surgeries do not levy any waiting period. Hence, the procedure can be done immediately.

On the other hand, some insurers may levy additional premiums to cover expenses to increase height of a person via the bone lengthening surgical process. Nevertheless, not all insurers offer that benefit.

Who Can Go for Limb Lengthening Surgery?

Leg lengthening surgery can be done on anyone who is suffering from the issue of different lengths of their two legs or arms. It includes people with congenital defects or those with an unhealed pre-existing fracture. Also, people whose growth plate of a leg bone has been damaged during childhood are eligible for the surgery. 

Skeletal dysplasias patients and those suffering from other bone diseases are also eligible for this surgery such as people with Poliomyelitis, Cerebral palsy, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. Some people even get the surgery done to increase a few inches of their height.

What are the factors that determine the Limb Lengthening Costs in India?

Limb lengthening surgery cost in India is affected by various factors. Some of them are mentioned below: 

• Fees paid to the surgeon – The fee of the surgeon is an important expense in limb lengthening treatment in India. Being a specialized field, the treatment requires highly skilled and qualified surgeons with a history of successful surgeries. The charges of the surgeon might vary as per his/her experience. This ensures that you are in safe hands when it comes to your limb-lengthening treatment.
• Type of Surgery – Along with the surgeon’s fee, another significant expense of limb lengthening treatment depends on the type/approach of surgery and whether it uses an internal or external fixator. Similarly, if a personalized and innovative surgical tool is being used for the surgery, it incurs greater expenses.    
• Facilities during Surgery – Limb lengthening surgery in India requires the patient to go through the process in an accredited facility with expert and skilled medical professionals to carry on the process. So, the cost of the procedure depends on all such things as well as the geographical location where the facility is located. 
• Expenses related to surgery – These expenses are related to the costs of pre – and post-surgery and depend on the patient and his/her medical history. It combines the medical tests that the patient has to undergo to ensure that he/she is fit to go through the surgery. It also includes the post-surgical costs like medicines prescribed, any therapy requirement, rehabilitation, and follow-ups.

What is the successful result rate of Limb Lengthening Surgery?

Leg lengthening surgery has a success rate of over 95% with minimal scarring, which is mostly due to small incisions done to access the leg bones.

How Soon Can One Recover After Limb Lengthening Surgery?

The time for recovery might vary depending on the patient. The consolidation phase may last for a substantial time in adults as compared to children. Despite the time, the process is made simple with the use of the internal lengthening nail. Also, physical therapy has a great role to play during the treatment along with the role of a good and nutritious diet with lots of calcium supplements.

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To Wrap Up

Despite being small, deformities can deter people from maintaining their daily routine effectively. It is quite a relief that there are surgeries to correct the unequal limbs caused by accidental and genetic reasons. Though the expenses of such surgeries may be high for some people, being covered under health insurance can help them get the amount reimbursed.

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