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[Maalane]

Hy, im planning either doing the surgery with G nail by Giotikas or betzbone by Becker.
Im interested, do theire surgical techniques and physiotherapy differ greatlay?
Wich one do you prefer?
What has been youre experience with either of them?

Thanks for any response!

[SpeedDialer]

I've met one forum member in person who has experience with both doctors. But I'm not sure if I should mention his name? Maybe he will read this and PM you

Giotikas has a nice "package" deal as in he has a driver setup to take people to physio from the hotels, and the physio place has alot of experience from just sheer huge volume of patients. I won't lie, it's a bit crowded though at physio though. And Athens is just not wheelchair friendly if you like exploring the city. Novotel is one of the most popular hotel options (close to the PT center) and the area around it does not look very safe tbh. I did gnail femurs. The right leg clicking at some parts of the journey for gnail- I think if you ask around about this, you'll get an idea for its difficulty/pain level. I know the youtube video on gnail makes it look very easy/painless and it was for part of my journey but I found it much more difficult for 0-2.5 cm and beyond 6cm for the right leg.

I believe that most likely clicking for betzbone is possibly easier (it is less length per click I believe)

But I think Becker may be the better option for alot of people because he has access to a weight bearing tibia nail as well (so he has both a weight bearing option for femur (betzbone 2.0) and also a weight bearing option for tibia (also betzbone 2.0)), so I would consider Becker if you have the money. Giotikas right now has access to weight bearing nail for femurs (gnail for femurs) but I believe he does not have access to a weight bearing tibia nail as of now ever since STRYDE was recalled. I don't know the reason- there do exist weight bearing gnails for tibias in Paris and Milan (used by Jean-Marc Guichet, the creator of gnail) but I believe Dr. Dimitrios Giotikas doesn't use it like that or doesn't have access to it or maybe there are other reasons for this, not sure

The practical result of this is if you want to do fully internal nails for tibias at some point (not external frame) with Giotikas, your option right now will be precise for tibias which is not weight bearing (more time on a wheelchair).

Might be good to find the one forum member here with experience with both doctors and also unrelated to that to read the one betz tibia diary we have (he seems to be having a good experience that is better than the precise tibia patients). 

I think they are both amazing doctors, but I vote Becker (better nail options, nicer area, clicking probably easier, ability to stick with one doctor if you want weight bearing for both femur and tibia) if you have the money

[Maalane]

I've met one forum member in person who has experience with both doctors. But I'm not sure if I should mention his name? Maybe he will read this and PM you

Giotikas has a nice "package" deal as in he has a driver setup to take people to physio from the hotels, and the physio place has alot of experience from just sheer huge volume of patients. I won't lie, it's a bit crowded though at physio though. And Athens is just not wheelchair friendly if you like exploring the city. Novotel is one of the most popular hotel options (close to the PT center) and the area around it does not look very safe tbh. I did gnail femurs. The right leg clicking at some parts of the journey for gnail- I think if you ask around about this, you'll get an idea for its difficulty/pain level. I know the youtube video on gnail makes it look very easy/painless and it was for part of my journey but I found it much more difficult for 0-2.5 cm and beyond 6cm for the right leg.

I believe that most likely clicking for betzbone is possibly easier (it is less length per click I believe)

But I think Becker may be the better option for alot of people because he has access to a weight bearing tibia nail as well (so he has both a weight bearing option for femur (betzbone 2.0) and also a weight bearing option for tibia (also betzbone 2.0)), so I would consider Becker if you have the money. Giotikas right now has access to weight bearing nail for femurs (gnail for femurs) but I believe he does not have access to a weight bearing tibia nail as of now ever since STRYDE was recalled. I don't know the reason- there do exist weight bearing gnails for tibias in Paris and Milan (used by Jean-Marc Guichet, the creator of gnail) but I believe Dr. Dimitrios Giotikas doesn't use it like that or doesn't have access to it or maybe there are other reasons for this, not sure

The practical result of this is if you want to do fully internal nails for tibias at some point (not external frame) with Giotikas, your option right now will be precise for tibias which is not weight bearing (more time on a wheelchair).

Might be good to find the one forum member here with experience with both doctors and also unrelated to that to read the one betz tibia diary we have (he seems to be having a good experience that is better than the precise tibia patients). 

I think they are both amazing doctors, but I vote Becker (better nail options, nicer area, clicking probably easier, ability to stick with one doctor if you want weight bearing for both femur and tibia) if you have the money

It is Interesting, how With G- nail the bone is already lenghtened 1 cm during the surgery, I wonder how much is Betzbone lenghtened during the surgery.

[SpeedDialer]

You have a great wing span (177), I think you'll have a great natural looking result

What year ish /time are you thinking of doing the surgery? If you have alot of time, maybe things will change later if a new version of precise/stryde ever comes out one of these years

[lessthanavg8300]

I started off with 6mm.  Theres a range and the max is 8mm.  I think its between 4 and 8.  I dont really like the idea of cranking people under anesthesia just to give them a head start so Im glad I had a modest initial distraction.

[Maalane]

Thanks, I wil make a diary for sure. How exactly are diaries made? Wil I start with just a regular post on "limb lenghtening discussions" and start expanding that post? Or should I do the initial post on "limb lenghtening patient experiences"?

[Marie_Bard]

I have heard of patients who went to Giotikas to solve problems they got from Betz or Becker, but not the opposite.

[Maalane]

You have a great wing span (177), I think you'll have a great natural looking result

What year ish /time are you thinking of doing the surgery? If you have alot of time, maybe things will change later if a new version of precise/stryde ever comes out one of these years

Im really hoping to do it in the summer, when the 3 month break for the university starts. I dont really know if Stryde is so much better than the clicking mechanism?

[SpeedDialer]

Im really hoping to do it in the summer, when the 3 month break for the university starts.

3 months this summer? Ah ok then forget about precise/stryde. Let's say you use a weight bearing femur nail (ex: gnail for femurs, or betzbone 2.0 for femurs).

If you only have 3 months, a few things to keep in mind. Giotikas estimates it takes about 6 months to walk normally. However, you will be able to use crutches decently comfortably to get around campus at the end of 3 months unless something bad happens. Forearm crutches are smaller and could be more convenient. Some people progress faster than this, though, I know a few people who did. And he recommends people continue to go to physical therapy after those 3 months usually.

If you end up returning to campus in the fall to take classes, might want to take a lighter course load that fall + take easier classes if possible. Lengthening a bit less might help a bit too. Alternatively, I feel that schools often accomodate people for medical leave for 1 semester

[lessthanavg8300]

I have heard of patients who went to Giotikas to solve problems they got from Betz or Becker, but not the opposite.

Only thing ive ever heard is patients going to Giotikas to get an IT band release when Betz was in charge.  Becker does release standard now.

[SpeedDialer]

Only thing ive ever heard is patients going to Giotikas to get an IT band release when Betz was in charge.  Becker does release standard now.

Agreed, I think Becker is a great choice now and him doing this will make people safer

[RealLostSoul]

3 months this summer? Ah ok then forget about precise/stryde. Let's say you use a weight bearing femur nail (ex: gnail for femurs, or betzbone 2.0 for femurs).

If you only have 3 months, a few things to keep in mind. Giotikas estimates it takes about 6 months to walk normally. However, you will be able to use crutches decently comfortably to get around campus at the end of 3 months unless something bad happens. Forearm crutches are smaller and could be more convenient. Some people progress faster than this, though, I know a few people who did. And he recommends people continue to go to physical therapy after those 3 months usually.

If you end up returning to campus in the fall to take classes, might want to take a lighter course load that fall + take easier classes if possible. Lengthening a bit less might help a bit too. Alternatively, I feel that schools often accomodate people for medical leave for 1 semester

I second this. Depending on the amount lengthened of course but even with smaller amounts I would say 3 months is risky. Studying while occupied by this progress is much harder than you anticipate beforehand and crutches sound like a good alternative but they are quite hindering in a lot of situations that you did not think about beforehand. I would take a full semester off then you are good to go!

[Maalane]

3 months this summer? Ah ok then forget about precise/stryde. Let's say you use a weight bearing femur nail (ex: gnail for femurs, or betzbone 2.0 for femurs).

If you only have 3 months, a few things to keep in mind. Giotikas estimates it takes about 6 months to walk normally. However, you will be able to use crutches decently comfortably to get around campus at the end of 3 months unless something bad happens. Forearm crutches are smaller and could be more convenient. Some people progress faster than this, though, I know a few people who did. And he recommends people continue to go to physical therapy after those 3 months usually.

If you end up returning to campus in the fall to take classes, might want to take a lighter course load that fall + take easier classes if possible. Lengthening a bit less might help a bit too. Alternatively, I feel that schools often accomodate people for medical leave for 1 semester

Yeah i have considered taking a medical leave for a semester, depending on how it goes. Luckily me and my family live in the same Town as the university, so my opurtunities are quite flexible.
The thing Im most confused about is that, How long to people usually stay in Greece/Germany/ after the operation?

[Maalane]

I second this. Depending on the amount lengthened of course but even with smaller amounts I would say 3 months is risky. Studying while occupied by this progress is much harder than you anticipate beforehand and crutches sound like a good alternative but they are quite hindering in a lot of situations that you did not think about beforehand. I would take a full semester off then you are good to go!

I really hope to do about 8 cm Femurs, considering the sheer cost of the surgery. I havent even thought about the difference between elbow and forehand crutches. I already own a pair of forehand crutches, maybe I will buy a pair of elbow crutches just in case. I havent booked the operation date jet, so I assume I wont get any dates in the early June, Maybe it will hapen as late as mid July or August. So the necessity to take a leave on one semester seems ever more likely. I will have to talk with the faculty, maybe I can take a few online classes while at break. The thing Im most confused about is that, How long to people usually stay in Greece/Germany after the operation?

[SpeedDialer]

I really hope to do about 8 cm Femurs, considering the sheer cost of the surgery. I havent even thought about the difference between elbow and forehand crutches. I already own a pair of forehand crutches, maybe I will buy a pair of elbow crutches just in case. I havent booked the operation date jet, so I assume I wont get any dates in the early June, Maybe it will hapen as late as mid July or August. So the necessity to take a leave on one semester seems ever more likely. I will have to talk with the faculty, maybe I can take a few online classes while at break. The thing Im most confused about is that, How long to people usually stay in Greece/Germany after the operation?

In Greece, 3 months seems to be a common time

I think Giotikas technically lets people leave at 6 weeks (? not sure) if you want, and I know some people who left around that amount of time ish. 100% will want to get physical therapy when you go home though whenever you leave

I think in Germany you can leave earlier? And I think it is probably easier to click for the Betzbone

If you go with gnail, clicking with the gnail for the right leg is no joke for some people- I'd recommend PM'ing WishMeLuck, who is using gnail now http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=80602.0

I had similar experiences as him. Although it eventually became easier for a period of time. It's still probably a good device overall but it's a consideration

If you have the money for Becker instead of Giotikas, it's a factor to consider