What does "quadrilateral lengthening" mean?

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Hello everyone, it's me again.

I've read this term a lot in the forums actually, the thing called "quadrilateral lengthening" and I have no idea what that is?
I feel like it's something I probably know but I just don't recognize because of the way it's called.

Also what does "cross lengthening" exactly mean? I thought it meant "having 2 surgeries for more gain" but seems like it's totally different.
Someone tried to explain, but I guess I didn't understand very well.

Best Regards

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Quote from: ghkid2019 on July 19, 2020, 05:17:54 PMQuadrilaterals have many types:

Simultaneous Quadrilaterals- you lengthen both tibias and femur at the same time. Usually the surgeries are done 3 weeks apart- this is still considered simultaneous since you are lengthening both sets of bones simultaneously. Not recommended, hardest.

Sequential (Staggered) Quadrilaterals- you finish lengthening one set of bones, then quickly get the second surgery for the other set of bones. Basically like 3 months gap between the main surgeries. Very hard and not recommended.

One year gap- you take a year gap or alternative extended break between surgeries for femurs and tibias. Recommended if you want >8cm in total height gain. One year gap allows recovery and fuller potential gains.

Cross lengthening- you do one external femur and one external tibia, then later after a few months you remove the current frames and put frames on the other femur and other tibia. You will have mismatched knee heights in the middle of this journey. This image explains it much better than words can:
https://legslengthen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cross-lateral-tibia-femur-lengthening.jpg
Not recommended, and no point of doing this after internal nails became mainstream. The purpose of this is because they did external Femurs and double external Femurs is horrible and barbaric. It's also cheaper- that's why people do this. Now with internal femur nails this method is stupid and I would never recommend this. Nor is simultaneous or sequential lengthening recommended either.

Disclaimer: When people say quadrilaterals, they probably mean simultaneous quadrilaterals.

Thanks for the answer, I owe you a lot for all the help.
I cannot even understand why people would have simultaneous lengthening, literally why would you do this to yourself?
I'm literally the MOST impatient person I've ever known in my entire life but even I'd NO WAY do this to myself. I think the best way to have 2 surgeries is to wait for a year, or more years before the second surgery.

Also yeah, cross lengthening sucks though.

edit: And I think if people want to have 8cm gain, I'd recommend having 2 surgeries for the proportions.8 cm on femurs literally suck most of the time. Even 7 does. Maybe 6 too.

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Quote from: ghkid2019 on July 19, 2020, 05:45:33 PMYeah no problem, and the way I see it is that most people want to get back into their job and life but gain enough height to satisfy themselves. Not many people can afford to wait a year between surgeries, look for reemployment twice, quit their jobs twice, etc, so they want to get it over with in a year. Many of us at at the 160-165cm mark, and average happens to be 170-175cm, so we would prefer 10cm minimum.

I'll be honest, I wanted simultaneous lengthening for the reasons above. I didn't want to wait a year in between. But after reading the diaries of some patients, I realized it was not going to be just tough, it would literally be unbearable. High chance of stopping short from goal, and not to mention double the price. You're definitely right that waiting a year is the best way to lengthen max.

As a side note, after reading more and more diaries, I've realized that I don't even want to bite more than I can chew. I was set on sequential quadrilaterals, but now I've realized I don't need to reach a height considered average. I need to reach a height considered not short, and that would be 172cm for me. I've decided to just do Femurs and be done with it. My entire goal is to cure height neurosis, and I feel like 5' 8 will cure my neurosis, in America. Sorry for the rant, I think I'm coming to terms with myself finally for the first time since I've joined this forum in April.

Don't even say sorry bro, I'd like to hear your opinions about this procedure itself and about your own self. I'm glad that you "kind of" confronted your complex about your height and want to have one surgery and live in peace.

But the thing I cannot live with is to have a WAY TOO LONG femur, I think having a long femur literally might kill your flexibility. Imagine, your knees would be very distant for your legs. Like, you'll probably feel like your knees have to be upper than they are. That's why I'm considering 2 surgeries, to prevent all the bad proportion cases.

And I think the best way is 7 + 5 cm with 2 surgeries. Maybe 6 + 5, or 7 + 4. I think they all are kind of "safe" than the other people who go for 8cm on femurs only. As flexibility and long term appreciation.

Otherwise, i'm a weak 174cm, let's consider me as 173. I'd have 7 cm on femurs and i'd be 180cm which is a decent height and I'd probably love it. But the proportions mate, they literally matter way too more than people think they do. I'm pretty sure a lot of people who had much gain on femurs also thought having another surgery to fix the tibias. At least for once in their life.

Regards

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Hello,

You are right to be honest, if it makes you happy; of course go for it!

Also I think 7+5 would be okay if everything went good with zero problems (while the surgery is happening), after the surgery you follow your diet and get supplements etc.