Dr Franz Birkholtz (Pretoria, South Africa)

Edit Post

Hi Guys

I want to lengthen 10cm on my femurs.

If I use precise 2, can I re-break, resert the nails and lengthen a further 2cm?

Edit Post

Quote from: Adriano on March 06, 2014, 10:17:14 AMHi Guys

I want to lengthen 10cm on my femurs.

If I use precise 2, can I re-break, resert the nails and lengthen a further 2cm?
The short answer is no. It is not advisable. 10 in one segment is around double the safe distance. Sorry...

Edit Post

Do you really think a "world class" orthopedic surgeon has time to post on a forum all day? Seriously, ask yourself that question. And what exactly makes this surgeon you are referring to "world class"? Because someone claiming to be him says so? How do you even know that person is a doctor, let alone a real orthopedic surgeon or someone who specializes in LL. Have you been to his facilities, or even seen evidence of them?.
This is a quote from the old forum  admin. I actually asked myself the same question about this. Unfortunately, I don't know many orthopaedics myself, so I really don't know how much time they could spare for free lectures about CLL on these kinds of forums. Don't take me wrong DR.Franz! I very very much appreciate what you have done for this community, I especially like your philosophy in doing this type of surgery. However, I do find it a bit strange that an orthopaedic could spare so much time to interact with potential patiences like us. It actually makes sense to me that LL doctors come to these forums and answer people questions. However, why none of the orthopaedics at least try to do this but you? I hope you could clarify this This means that I am very intersting with the idea of going to SA.

Edit Post

Quote from: Daylight on March 06, 2014, 12:49:37 PMDo you really think a "world class" orthopedic surgeon has time to post on a forum all day? Seriously, ask yourself that question. And what exactly makes this surgeon you are referring to "world class"? Because someone claiming to be him says so? How do you even know that person is a doctor, let alone a real orthopedic surgeon or someone who specializes in LL. Have you been to his facilities, or even seen evidence of them?.
This is a quote from the old forum  admin. I actually asked myself the same question about this. Unfortunately, I don't know many orthopaedics myself, so I really don't know how much time they could spare for free lectures about CLL on these kinds of forums. Don't take me wrong DR.Franz! I very very much appreciate what you have done for this community, I especially like your philosophy in doing this type of surgery. However, I do find it a bit strange that an orthopaedic could spare so much time to interact with potential patiences like us. It actually makes sense to me that LL doctors come to these forums and answer people questions. However, why none of the orthopaedics at least try to do this but you? I hope you could clarify this This means that I am very intersting with the idea of going to SA.

Hehe,

I was waiting for a comment or question like this. I happen to spend time on these forums via my phone during 'dead time' inbetween cases. I have, for example, seen 40 patients in my clinic today and operated 20 this week. I am currently waiting for my practice management meeting to start and have 10 minutes to spare, hence I can respond to this and other queries. Hope this makes sense? In fact, where I get time to do this is really my own business, but I can assure you that the practice is busy enough and that my patients don't suffer as a result. Having said this, I have been very active on the forum and will probably not be able to maintain this intensity of involvement in the long term. This is however a new phase for both the forum and myself, and therefore it deserves adequate time to develop this relationship. You will see over time that I will only post in my own thread and also probably once a week. I also do not want to hog the forum with my presence for fear of limiting free speech (patients may feel apprehensive discussing their opinions freely if they know I am watching :-).)

With regards to being an experienced orthopaedic surgeon and the insinuation by Sysop that I may not even be a doctor...I see these allegations in a very serious light, as it questions my integrity, experience and name. I wanted to address this on the old forum in person, but they have not approved my application to register (dare I say I smell a rat?). Would one of you who have access to that forum please post this entire message there?
I do not think it is necessary for me to prove anything...if you don't believe me, you're welcome, but read my posts and you will agree that no non-doctor or indeed non-expert could post this way. If you still don't believe me, email me or set up a skype talk, heck, phone my office if you want. Those of you who have done so will vouch for my authenticity.
Lastly, with regards to no other doctors doing this... what can I say? I've always been different and it has stood me in good stead.

In short, I am a doctor and an orthopaedic surgeon (I have 14 years at university to prove it). I would not necessarily call myself an expert or world-class, but my patients do. And so do the surgeons that come and spend time with me to learn.

You make up your own mind!

By the way, I find it ironic that I am probably the only person on both forums posting under my own name, yet my identity is questioned...

Edit Post

Sysop is a real piece of work who has had no problem lying and censoring information. He has tried to shut down this forum because he views it as a threat to the site he bought off the previous web owner. I think most of us here do not doubt your authenticity,  Dr. Birkholtz. With how you respond to questions I think it's clear you're not someone pretending to be a doctor, as Sysop insinuated. Already you have made a world of difference in the online cosmetic limb lengthening community,  such as warning about risks of knee pain with LON/LATN for starters.

Really I think the only who would take what sysop said about you seriously is himself.  His comment already urged a member of that site and a limb lengthening patient to chastise him publicly and announce his voluntary leaving of the forum.

Edit Post

Thanks for your support. Much appreciated.
I think these are however important questions and I believe I've answered them adequately...
I'm off to bed. This fake doctor has 8 fake patients to operate tomorrow. LOL

Edit Post

Quote from: Daylight on March 06, 2014, 12:49:37 PMDo you really think a "world class" orthopedic surgeon has time to post on a forum all day? Seriously, ask yourself that question. And what exactly makes this surgeon you are referring to "world class"? Because someone claiming to be him says so? How do you even know that person is a doctor, let alone a real orthopedic surgeon or someone who specializes in LL. Have you been to his facilities, or even seen evidence of them?

Why dredge up that crap from old forum  on this forum?  Apotheosis wants to stir up trouble and will always try to paint our forum in a bad light.  He's also jealous that the only doctor he gets to post on his forum is the one he's clearly arranged advertising deals with.  Dr. Birkholtz has down time, in which he graciously dedicates to answering our forum questions.  Let's not screw that up.  It's embarrassing that he even has to respond to this type of criticism.

Also, he's a world class surgeon for many different reasons.  In May, he's teaching other surgeons on his field of expertise in Dallas, Texas (I know this because I tried scheduling my consult with him around then).  He gets patients from around the world, which should fit that definition as well...

Edit Post

Quote from: Franz on March 06, 2014, 07:51:51 PMThanks for your support. Much appreciated.
I think these are however important questions and I believe I've answered them adequately...
I'm off to bed. This fake doctor has 8 fake patients to operate tomorrow. LOL

Thanks for your participation here Dr. B.

I hope to be one of your fake patients one day. 

Edit Post

Not to detract from Dr. Birkholtz's generosity, but people should remember that a doctor's presence on a message board is not some revolutionary feat. You see it all the time on more mainstream sites. It's just that this site is so niche that it is surprising to see a doctor show up to post. One more time on this next matter, and then I'll be forever done with it: what Sysop said really pissed me off and it's the first time I've personally felt the anger that so many others have felt by his pitiful tantrums. Deep down he must know what he's doing is wrong.

He can make the argument that he tried to help me, but what he really did was con me. I could very well be in Serbia with Dr. Mitkovic or one of the other doctors who have been revealed by this forum that would have fit well within my budget. Instead of leaving the Sarin disaster behind and counting the site's losses, he went out of his way to find the next willing surgeon to participate in his scheme. Unfortunately for me, I didn't establish a solid presence on this site until too late. My surgeon is by no means a quack, but he is clearly inexperienced/rusty in Ilizarov. I just hope I come out okay, but if not I should be able to receive care back home. Some patients here, due to their nationalities, may not be as fortunate...

Edit Post

Dr B I really appreciated your answer on why you are now
performing cosmetic LL and wanted to ask why you set limits
of 5cm on tibs and 6 on femur when other well known doctors such
as Guichet allows up to 10cm on femur and Betz will allow 11cm
on femur and 10cm on tibia. Is this due to personal reasons/studies/experiences?

I ask as the discrepancy of what you and these other doctors allow is large.