Boy becomes first in UK to have surgery to make him taller
Summary
A nine-year-old boy named Alfie Phillips became the first person in the UK to undergo surgery to make him taller. He has a rare condition called fibular hemimelia, which caused one of his legs to be shorter. The surgery, performed at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, used a new method involving a magnetically controlled lengthening nail.Key Facts
- Alfie Phillips is nine years old and has fibular hemimelia, a condition causing his right leg to be shorter.
- The surgery took place at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.
- A lengthening nail was implanted on Alfie's right thigh bone and slowly pulled using magnets.
- The new method allows internal lengthening, which is believed to be less painful than previous techniques.
- Alfie gained an increase of 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) in leg length.
- The procedure involved daily use of a magnetic device for about a month to slowly pull the bones apart.
- Alfie underwent physiotherapy and regular doctor reviews during the healing process.
- The same technique has been applied to three other children since Alfie's operation.
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