Limb Lengthening Forum
Limb Lengthening Surgery => Limb Lengthening Doctors => Topic started by: Muse on July 18, 2014, 05:54:56 PM
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Information and response from Dr Maurizio A. Catagni, of Mangioni Hospital, located in Lecco, Italy.
Note: Please refer to our disclaimer about the Doctors Directory http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=55.0
(http://www.gvmnet.it/uploads/f7/7a/f77a4590a579d3504589e3f23569a658/jpg.jpg)
Background
Professor at the Milano University, Medical School
Former Chief of Orthopaedic department and the Ilizarov Unit "Alessandro Manzoni " Hospital - Lecco
Director of the Ilizarov Unit at Mangioni Hospital - Lecco
Cosmetic lengthening procedure:
At the level of the leg, with 2 level of osteotomy, with Ilizarov ring fixator, for an amount of 5-8cm, depending from the patient
The time for treatment is:
70-90 days for lengthening with simultaneous Physiotherapy; walking with crutches.
4-5 months for bone consolidation walking with crutches but full loading .
Frame removal and brace or plaster for 2 months: free walking.
Total time of treatment in the frame: approximately 8-10 months
Ilizarov frame for leg lengthening: Two level osteotomy in the tibia and one level osteotomy in the fibula.
The rate of lengthening is ¼ mm 2 or 3 time a day every level (depending from the age and the biology of the patient); in total is 1 or 1.5 mm per day
Possible complications:
Achilles tendon lengthening (70% of the patients), after 3-5 cm of lengthening
Superficial wire infection treated with local or oral antibiotics
Delay of new bone formation (10% of the patients), with more time in the frame
Deformity treated with progressive frame modification (no surgery or painful manoeuvres)
Neurovascular damages: never happen in cosmetic
The patient need to be in the Hospital (S. Camillo Hospital, Milano) for 3 days and after he can go home with instructions or stay in Lecco for 3 months. Out patient clinic for X-Rays every 3-4 weeks during the first 3 months; later just send X-Rays. The frame is removed without anaesthesia (usually)
Pricing
Cost of the operation, including Hospital, frame, anaesthesia, Surgeons etc: 20.000 € (Euros)
For achille tendon lengthening 5000€ (Euros) extra fee
I prefer external fixation. It will possible with internal nail (Precise nail) but the cost is 20000 euros more
In Lecco it is possible to rent a flat at the cost of 1000 € per months where the patient have to stay (3-4 months) with a person helping him in the day life (such person have to be or a relative or friend of the patient). For local nurse the fee is about 800€ a month Is available, some time, a 3 room apartment at a cost of 1000 € per month.
Most common questions
Q: How long would it take before I am able to participate in day-to-day activities, like walking, doing office work, etc. (no sport)?
A: After few days you can walk with crutches without the possibility to drive a car and just for moving inside the house; of course, if you work sitting, you can do it. For a comfortable walking you have to wait 4 months from the operation
Q: How long would I have to stay in your hospital?
A: You have to stay in the hospital for 3-4 days
Q: How much does the operation approx. cost (incl. hospital stay, necessary checks, therapies, etc.)?
A: The fee for the hospital and operation is 20.000 € the cost of the therapy is about 800 US$ per month (3 months in Lecco); after you can go back home and send me X-rays via Internet Until the frame removal (you can do it in your Country) It is possible to rent a flat in Lecco for about 1000 € per month but you need somebody living with you during such period to help in the daily living; For achille tendon lengthening 5000 € extra fee
Q: Are the incisions of the pins or cuts visible later on and can they be removed, e.g. by laser (and do you know who is offering it at what cost)?
A: The scares are minimal and few of my patient ask for such operation
Q: As a patient, I have to trust your opinion and expertise. While some doctors are against leg-lengthening for cosmetic reasons, I personally believe this is up to the patient and the performing doctor to decide if the procedure is safe and secure enough to be recommended for cosmetic reasons.
A: I don’t suggest to do the tibial lengthening if you are normal except if you have serious
psychological problems
Q: I feel very short and I believe I could enhance the quality of life by pursuing a leg-lengthening operation. However, I also believe I will be able to survive without doing it. You have done many operations and you know how patients feel afterwards. Reflecting on your experience, would you recommend this operation for cosmetic reasons?
A: Following my experience all the patients, after lengthening are happy because they forget quickly the difficulties suffered during the treatment
Contact Info:
Maurizio A. Catagni, M.D.
Office: Lecco – 42/H, Via C. Cattaneo, 23900
Tel. +39-0341-364662
Rome - 567 viale dei Colli Portuensi
Tel. +39-06-6570951
Fax: +39-0341-630630
E-mail: maurizio@catagni.it
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20.000 is for external only? Does he do LON? And femurs?
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20.000 for externel thak god for russia
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Yes . So expensive for only external
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20.000 is for external only? Does he do LON? And femurs?
20,000 euros for external only.
Dr Maurizio Catagni does internal nail (Precise nail) but the cost is 20,000 euros more. That is 40,000 euros €.
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20,000 for externals, thats pretty much what you'll need for 9-10 months in Russia if you want to stay until frame removal...
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He is expensive but one must remember that he has a excellent reputation and well respected in the Ilizarov field. Many LL surgeons have been under his guidance, including Dr.Paley.
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He is expensive but one must remember that he has a excellent reputation and well respected in the Ilizarov field. Many LL surgeons have been under his guidance, including Dr.Paley.
Whoa, really? Cool.
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Whoa, really? Cool.
yes, not only paley, he's one of the most experienced doctors in this field
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After a lot of thinking, I've pretty much decided that I'll go with Dr. Catagni if I ever want to do pure externals. $30,000 plus accommodations isn't a bad deal for a doctor of his caliber (plus I'm a sucker for Greco-Roman history).
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After a lot of thinking, I've pretty much decided that I'll go with Dr. Catagni if I ever want to do pure externals. $30,000 plus accommodations isn't a bad deal for a doctor of his caliber (plus I'm a sucker for Greco-Roman history).
Why not Dr. Salameh? He has the same price and his device seems much more comfortable than the usual exfix.
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i'll tel you why i'd choose catagni over salameh
one is from italy... the other is from syria... yes, i realize he moved to germany... but germany seems to be hit or miss for surgeons for some reason
i realize i sound racist.... .... i just feel more comfortable going to jewish,french, italian Dr's.
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i'll tel you why i'd choose catagni over salameh
one is from italy... the other is from syria... yes, i realize he moved to germany... but germany seems to be hit or miss for surgeons for some reason
i realize i sound racist.... .... i just feel more comfortable going to jewish,french, italian Dr's.
That, and Catagni is simply more distinguished as a whole.
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yes, that too
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i'll tel you why i'd choose catagni over salameh
one is from italy... the other is from syria... yes, i realize he moved to germany... but germany seems to be hit or miss for surgeons for some reason
i realize i sound racist.... .... i just feel more comfortable going to jewish,french, italian Dr's.
The medical standarts are much heigher than they are in italy. The cities are safer and the overall quality of living is also much heigher in germany.
The ethical background of the surgeon shouldn't play a role in my opinion. I must admit that Catagni seems more experienced than Salameh.
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i dont think the medical standards are higher in germany... they certainly arent higher than france, for example
and depends on the area of germany... milan and the north have a high standard of living..
germany is a very advanced, industrialized nation, but their medical laws are iffy to me.. i'm sure their top doctors are great, but do their standards allow the bottom to be lower...
regarding ethic background... i wont cause wwiii in this thread, so ill just leave at what i said
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i dont think the medical standards are higher in germany... they certainly arent higher than france, for example
and depends on the area of germany... milan and the north have a high standard of living..
germany is a very advanced, industrialized nation, but their medical laws are iffy to me.. i'm sure their top doctors are great, but do their standards allow the bottom to be lower...
regarding ethic background... i wont cause wwiii in this thread, so ill just leave at what i said
German medical standarts are heigher than the ones in france for sure. It might highly depends on the region but the overall standarts of medical care are indeed heigher in germany than in italy or france. Germany just has a much more stable and successful economy.
Guichet seems like the best european Dr. nontheless.
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German medical standarts are heigher than the ones in france for sure. It highly depends on the region but the overall standarts of medical care are indeed heigher in germany than in italy or france. Germany just has a much more stable and successful economy.
Guichet seems like the best european Dr. nontheless.
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German medical standarts are heigher than the ones in france for sure. It might highly depends on the region but the overall standarts of medical care are indeed heigher in germany than in italy or france. Germany just has a much more stable and successful economy.
Guichet seems like the best european Dr. nontheless.
Yes, Guichet is probably the best among European doctors. However, I would prefer Germany over France,Italy or Spain. Southern countries have usually lower health standards than Northern countries.
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yeah they dont even have clean water and half the population are fattys with low self respect. Guichet gets the buisness done smoothly.
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first off,
german medical standards are not higher than france.... germany has a larger economy for many reasons, but at the top level, it is certainly not more advanced or technologically superior...
france has a tradition of singling out and nurturing talent... look at fields medals... i think there around 7 fields medalists all from 1 school... more than double than the entire nation of germany
Not that it matters, but i wouldnt consider france to be southern europe. Italy's northern region is one of the most advanced in europe
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first off,
german medical standards are not higher than france.... germany has a larger economy for many reasons, but at the top level, it is certainly not more advanced or technologically superior...
france has a tradition of singling out and nurturing talent... look at fields medals... i think there around 7 fields medalists all from 1 school... more than double than the entire nation of germany
Not that it matters, but i wouldnt consider france to be southern europe. Italy's northern region is one of the most advanced in europe
Perhaps France is OK but Italy and Spain.. I wouldn't get operated on there...
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Perhaps France is OK but Italy and Spain.. I wouldn't get operated on there...
Spain has good healthcare , i think that it doesnt has anything to envy from germany , italy maybe as well
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yes... both are fine
the top drs in italy and spain are fine.. these are advanced european nations
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Italy and Spain are fine in comparison with India...but Germany is another thing. Don't try to overlook this fact. Spain is not Germany. ITalian and Spanish people are not like German people. They're very different and their level of expertise isn't the same in most cases.
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Dr. Catagni's website and the hospital website.
http://www.mauriziocatagni.it/
http://www.mauriziocatagni.it/?page_id=4318
http://www.gvmnet.it/en/facilities/gb-mangioni-hospital-lecco
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My friend emailed this doctor, and his response is that he never does femur as he thinks that femoral lengthening is inaesthetic.
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My friend emailed this doctor, and his response is that he never does femur as he thinks that femoral lengthening is inaesthetic.
Long femur makes you look more alpha, long tibia is girly but i guess roman statue type of body afterwards. Just prepare that if you lengthen to average height on tibia that you cant use lifts afterwards. Thats why femurs are always better. IMO
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Anything over 10,000 dollars US for externals is a big rip off. You can find clinics that do externals for like 6,000.
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cant use lifts after tibia lengthening??? huh???
doesn't make sense to me
if the dr wants to charge 100,000 for externals, it's his choice
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Long femur makes you look more alpha, long tibia is girly but i guess roman statue type of body afterwards. Just prepare that if you lengthen to average height on tibia that you cant use lifts afterwards. Thats why femurs are always better. IMO
That's literally the exact opposite of reality. Most female models have proportionally long femurs, whereas most male athletes have proportionate or even long tibias.
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Anything over 10,000 dollars US for externals is a big rip off. You can find clinics that do externals for like 6,000.
I don't understand why so many people view moderately priced externals as a big rip off whereas they'd be comfortable paying up to $30,000 for LON.
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So overall, it'd be around 55,000 Euros set aside for internals with this doctor with a stay of 4 months for 6.5cms?