RealLostSoul, you seem to be very wary of this surgery (for obvious reasons). Are there patients who dont experience complications from this type of surgery; by that I mean who have surgery, recover and then just live their life as if they never had surgery but were just born that way. Or can most patients expect complications in some form or another down the line?
IMO longterm wise it is possible to 100% recover.
For a normal life though. If you want to be a top athlete their is an ever burning discussion, I believe you can make a good recovery but not 100%. What's also never going to be 100% regardless of the amount really is the nerve innervation, however, only
subclinically measurable. Meaning you have no symptoms and function completely normal. So that's definitely an easy to answer choice (it doesn't make a difference).
And about complications, most people have some problems down the line like tight muscles, duck ass etc but those are only temporary problems that will resolve. What you should be afraid of complication wise comes post surgery, things that can kill or ruin you. Thrombosis, fat emboli, pulmonary embolism. Bad bone infections. Hidden infections on the nail (will fk you up). Compartment syndrome (even if treated, google fasciotomy and see how big of a fking scar that will leave on your leg). Etc etc.
Most of these problems are bad luck, a bit of the surgeons skill too but most importantly for you, you have that risk when inserting a nail, even a trauma nail without any lengthening. So it's regardless if you do 1cm or 10cm.
The only bad complication that can occur later down the line during distraction is nerve palsy but that doesn't come overnight and you should report nerve problems immediately to the doctor. It is rather rare and I haven't heard of someone having permanent nerve leasions..
e:/ oh and non union of course too but that's what you keep track of with xrays as well.