Dr Betz Complications! Nail/Screws Break and Require More Money and Surgery

Edit Post

There's nothing extraordinary about claiming Dr.Betz is a shady doctor. Up to last year, he always seemed like one of the best options to go for LL. Then a lot of patient diaries abruptly stopped, some patients had problems like broken or bent screws (which is why this thread was opened). Some patients did exactly what the doctor told them to do, followed his word exactly, yet still faced such complications.

I am very positively prejudiced against Germans too (I believe in "German perfection" as well, especially in technology) but Dr.Betz simply doesn't seem like a good option anymore. At least not to me.

Edit Post

Quote from: Mime on January 31, 2014, 06:10:00 PMHey stupid,

you don't seem to have much first hand experience with Germans. Have you ever lived in Germany? I won't stop anything just because you want me to. Go to Betz and experience yourself 'German perfection'.

You are ruining this forum when you write serious accusations like that and don't back it up with evidence. I don't plan to do Betz. I am planning on Guichet, Paley or Donghoon.

Anyway, it doesn't matter if german law protects the doctor, all we are interested in the surgeons skills.

Apotheosis real name cannot be confirmed as real or fake. You gave common name which ten thousands of people have. It is hard to find him on fb,linkedin or any other social media.

Edit Post

Quote from: ChrisIsaak on January 31, 2014, 06:25:29 PMThere's nothing extraordinary about claiming Dr.Betz is a shady doctor. Up to last year, he always seemed like one of the best options to go for LL. Then a lot of patient diaries abruptly stopped, some patients had problems like broken or bent screws (which is why this thread was opened). Some patients did exactly what the doctor told them to do, followed his word exactly, yet still faced such complications.

I am very positively prejudiced against Germans too (I believe in "German perfection" as well, especially in technology) but Dr.Betz simply doesn't seem like a good option anymore. At least not to me.

Hello Chris,

Don't get me wrong here. Germans do have their good traits as well as bad traits. However, the Germans created themselves the word "Servicewüste" which means service-desert to characterize their own everyday experiences in Germany. You don't have to agree with that, however it is something widely known among people who live in Germany.
I mentioned this only in order to make people aware that they are unprotected when they go to Germany to undergo LL. This is important information and should be taken into consideration for people who want to undergo LL . For example doctors in the US have to play it safe because their risk to lose a lawsuit in case something goes wrong is not negligible. The legal framework for the whole Limb Lengthening process does have huge implications.
That's the main reason why Betz patients are allowed to walk with or without crutches during lengthening while e.g. patients of Dr. Paley are not.

Best wishes

Edit Post

I think it's very important thing to note seriously how each nation protects patients from any negligence from doctors. For this reason alone, I won't be considering India. Something can happen from an operation to the lengthening phase. This happens even to the best of doctors. (People die from as simple as tonsillectomy). I believe that if a nation's law on negligence is not strict, doctors however good they are, won't make extra effort to up the standard.

I didn't know Germany's law is wanting in patient protection. But Mime, do you think Germany's law is subservient to a more compressive EU law, which I would assume, more patient-centric?

If only money is not a factor, most of our roads will lead to West Palm Beach with all of us sipping piñacolada at Paley Beach while lengthening our Precise.

Edit Post

Hi Mediocre,

I am not aware of any EU law which protects patients. The doctor's lobby is very strong in Germany and the German government could block any new law. I know regulations in other EU countries are more patient friendly like France. In Germany the doctor is not responsible for the result of a treatment. He is only obliged to give the treatment according to medical standard. Even if he makes a mistake he is not liable as long as the patient cannot prove the causality of his damage is due to the doctor's negligence. I.e. the patient must prove 2 things. In practice this means the patient has a 99% chance to lose a lawsuit against a doctor, no matter what happened to him.
Who would go to Germany for medical treatment if he knew about this?

Edit Post

Hi Guys,

I am doing LL with Dr. Betz right now. As a patient of him I can just say its ridiculous what people post here. I am fed up with those people. They gave me such a hard time before surgery and I even believed all this not backed up nonsense. After the consultation I knew I want to go with Betz. But then again I had too much time to read on the forum and got concerned again because of all this nonsense people post here. So I decided to go Germany again and visit some more patients. All in all I met a lot of Betz patients and they were all doing fine. So I knew I will stop reading on the forum. Thats what the other patients recommended to me and it just makes sense. People come here and post whatever they want, give no back up and everyone believes it.
So I did the surgery a few weeks ago and I am absolutely happy with it. I justed reached 5cm and feel huge

Professor Betz is an amazing surgeon. I have many respect for Dr. Betz. He cares so much for his patients, every former patient would confirm that. He woke me up after surgery, dressed me, walked around with me, helped me going to the toilet and really took his time. He visited me every day in the hospital and made sure everything is fine.

You cant imagine how many patients I saw who were doing so well and never posted. They come, lenghten and then disappear. Dr. Betz is doing up to three LL surgerys a week. Its true there were some complications with the old 11mm. But that was still a tiny minority and Betz invented a new generation of the Betzbone. The 11mm is now nearly as strong as the 13mm. He didnt have any problems with that nail yet. I only met one patient with a bent 11mm nail (pretty sure it was one of the old generation) and he lenghtened 11cm and said himself that he just moved way too much without crutches while lenghtening.
My physio therapist Peter Woll said that most of the people who had a bent nail are just not completely honest. They try to hide the fact that they maybe slipped or did anything else they shouldnt have done.

A fact which even surprised myself: I am staying at Haus Liborius with Elke and she said to me that of over 100 patients she just had like 5 major complications (fractur, bent or broken nail).

My initially plan was actually not to post anything but the fact that all this false information about Betz nearly drove me crazy before surgery, because I was worried a lot, made me think twice. I want to help those people who are still deciding where to go.
Betz is not cheap, I am still very young and had to save up really hard. But I knew I want to do it right and its like everywhere: You get what you pay for.
So if you seriously think about LL stop jealous people (who probably cant afford the most skilled LL doctor inthe world) making you crazy. Go for a consultation with Professor Betz, meet his team, visit his patients and come and see for yourself.

cheers

Edit Post

I don't have much sympathy for Dr. Betz (e.g. due to his 25k titanium nail replacement rip-off), but judging from the diaries he produces great results and quick recoveries. So I believe you are in good Hands 

But your following statement is actually not in Betz' favour:


Quote from: LLto180 on February 25, 2014, 11:23:17 PM
A fact which even surprised myself: I am staying at Haus Liborius with Elke and she said to me that of over 100 patients she just had like 5 major complications (fractur, bent or broken nail).

In the medical context, a 1/20 chance of major complications is actually very high. If you know you have a 5% chance of fractur, bent or broken nail, would you go with that Dr?

Edit Post

Hi LLto180, I hope you post a diary here chronicling your LL journey.
So far, those who have done LL with Dr Betz recommended him.

Edit Post

Quote from: orlandoflorida on February 26, 2014, 05:05:38 AMHow did you manage 5cm in a few weeks ?  I'm amazed.   

Yes, I would like to know how anyone could get 5cm in just a "few weeks." If so, that would be a viable option for me next year and I can keep my job and I could take out a mortgage and pay him as much as he wants.

And I define "few weeks" to be 2-3 weeks at most. If it means 2 months, for the same price, I rather go with Guichet, Paley or Franz (using precise 2) and not have to put up with paying 25k euro on top of the overly charged fee for the titanium nail.

Edit Post

Quote from: orlandoflorida on February 26, 2014, 05:05:38 AMHow did you manage 5cm in a few weeks ?  I'm amazed.   

As you probably realized english is not my native language and for me a few is something between 3-7. My surgery was exactly 7 weeks from now. I grow 1 mm a day.
So I just got up and will click now and then I have my 5cm

Quote from: emanuel on February 25, 2014, 11:44:58 PMI don't have much sympathy for Dr. Betz (e.g. due to his 25k titanium nail replacement rip-off), but judging from the diaries he produces great results and quick recoveries. So I believe you are in good Hands 

But your following statement is actually not in Betz' favour:


In the medical context, a 1/20 chance of major complications is actually very high. If you know you have a 5% chance of fractur, bent or broken nail, would you go with that Dr?

I talked to Elke again. I wasnt shure yesterday evening how many patients she already had, neither is she. But she said its close to 200. She isnt shure about it (dont forget she is doing it for 7 years now) but those 5 people had some bent screws or bent nails... a bent screw is easy and cheap fixable and a bent nail is fixable as well but costs you quite a bit of money. The really bad thing is when you have a fractur and she said she saw that only once... then you probably have to stop lenghtening, thats worst case. But if you have a fractur then you definately did something stupid.

About the titanium nails: As far as I know it costs you 16000 EUR (22000 USD). I am not sure what some guys think of that surgery but you you cant sit on a couch and Dr. Betz is putting titanium nails in your legs. He operates in a high modern surgery room. They have probably the most expensive devices you can get for money. Betz have to pay rent for the surgery room and thats expensive. He has to pay an anesthetist which is monitoring you during the whole procedur and like 5 other assistents who help him during the procedur. He has to pay the hospital to take care of you after surgery. There are a lot of hidden costs.
And if you do everything right you anyway dont have to go for titanium nails.

Whoever you choose you cant be faster than 1mm a day. But with Dr. Betz you can go to work (office job) once you leave the hospital. To tell you the truth I could have gone to work 3 days after surgery. No problem at all. Its individual of course but I think if someone really want to work he can do it. A lot of Betz patients work.