An influencer and model with over 150,000 Instagram followers has publicly shared her story of undergoing two limb-lengthening surgeries, costing over $145,000.
According to the New York Post and The Sun on June 27, Theresia Fischer, a German model from Hamburg, shared her limb-lengthening surgeries on her social media.
Fischer posted a photo of herself returning home after her eighth and final surgery to remove the metal rods that were placed in her calves on her social media.
She said, “Finally free! I have been waiting for this day for so long. Today, I have finally removed the last 2% of my past from my body. The (physical and mental) pain I endured for eight years was beyond words. There are still many emotional battles to overcome, but now I have gained the strength to heal.”
Through two surgeries, Fischer increased her height from 5’5″ to 6ft. “I underwent limb-lengthening surgery at the suggestion of my ex-boyfriend,” she said. “I completely lost my confidence and went through with the surgery to fulfill his wish to extend my legs by 7 inches,” she revealed.
Fischer underwent limb-lengthening surgeries in 2016 and 2022, which involved cutting the bones in her thighs and calves and inserting metal rods.
She stated, “I plan to resume modeling when I can walk again and start a family with a new partner.”
Fisher spent $118,000 on surgery costs and including physical therapy and medication, she spent a total of $152,000.
Limb-lengthening surgery is, as the name suggests, a surgery to artificially lengthen the arms and legs. Originally designed to treat patients with significant differences in the length of their arms or legs or those with a pathological short stature, it has recently evolved into a cosmetic procedure.
The method involves intentionally fracturing the bone and gradually lengthening it as the bone heals. The bone in the calf or thigh is cut, a metal rod is inserted, and a mechanical device is connected to gradually lengthen the bone. Starting 5-7 days after surgery, the bone is lengthened by 0.5-1mm per day.
Through this method, a new bone is formed in the space between the bones, increasing the length of the bone. The treatment period varies from person to person, but it is generally known that it takes about 1-2 months to increase by 1 cm.
Since only the bone is lengthened, it is very important to do rehabilitation exercises so that surrounding muscles, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels can also lengthen. It usually takes about a year to walk naturally.
Due to the need to keep devices in the thigh or calf bones for three months, there is a high risk of complications such as infections.
In severe cases, patients may suffer from postoperative complications such as muscle necrosis, compartment syndrome, and nerve damage. Complications primarily occur when the surrounding soft tissue cannot grow as much as the lengthened bone. Soft tissue includes nerves, muscles, blood vessels, and joints, and typical complications include nerve paralysis, muscle contracture, blood vessel occlusion, and restricted joint movement.
