Aesthetic Limb Lengthening: Efficacy, Complications, and Satisfaction (2025)

Study Scope

Giorgino and colleagues systematically reviewed 12 studies involving 760 aesthetic lower-limb-lengthening patients. The included studies varied by country, technique, fixation, lengthened segment, follow-up, and outcome reporting. ^[1]

Reported Findings

The review summarized substantial achieved height gains and generally high reported satisfaction in the source studies. It also identified joint and tendon, infection, bone-healing, and device-related events. Reported ranges describe the included cohorts; they are not safe targets or personal probabilities.

Function and Satisfaction Need Cautious Language

The review does not justify saying that most patients return to normal activity with minimal joint limitation as a universal outcome. Instruments and timepoints differed, long-term patient-centered outcomes were limited, and nonresponse or loss to follow-up can bias satisfaction upward.

Important Limits

• Mostly observational source studies without randomized method assignment.
• Heterogeneous complication definitions and denominators.
• Techniques and devices from different eras.
• Variable follow-up and outcome instruments.
• Limited evidence for rare events and multi-decade outcomes.

Best Use of the Review

Use it to identify outcome domains, historical ranges, common reported problems, and evidence gaps. For a decision, add current device and recall information plus provider-specific outcomes for the exact procedure.