I will try to shed some light on this discussion vis-a-vis distraction amount.
When doing external lengthening, each leg usually has three all-threads (all-threads are very long bolts without a head) that connect concentric metal rings that surround your leg. These rings are attached with screws through your leg meat into your bones. Move the rings and you move your leg bones.
To accomplish distraction, you turn bolts on each all-thread which creates more distance between the broken ends of your bones.
Because you have three all-threads working together, it is very common to be instructed to adjust a specific all-thread by 1.5mm while adjusting others by a different amount. This is done to keep good bone alignment during distraction.
HOWEVER, adjusting one or all of your all-threads by 1.5mm does not mean that you achieve 1.5mm of distraction. The all-threads flex and torque; the body fights the adjustment, etc.
This is why you get x-rays every week--to know and evaluate your actual distraction progress.
When I was going through the process, I met with Dr. Kulesh or a member of his team about 3X per week. We constantly discussed things like progress and distraction amount.
I was also with Android during his experience. Things seemed to be going fine one day; then, a problem arose. A common intervention when a problem arises is to reduce distraction to the last point where things were fine.
So far as I know, this intervention was applied in Android's case. I never learned what specifically caused his problem or how things came out but I hope he is doing well and has recovered.
I do NOT believe anyone was doing anything crazy in Android's case. Problems can and will arise with lengthening surgery. You would do well to ensure your surgical team is sufficiently experienced to deal with problems when they arise.
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Topic: Is Russia closed for lengthening now? Russian embassy site (Read 1477 times)