Height Increase Hospital
Limb lengthening and height increase surgery in South Korea: process, recovery, risks and cost.
Profiles in this category
1Full provider and organisation profiles — services, pricing, medical team and outcomes.
Everything in the height surgery hub
Every Dr. Donghoon (DALRI) page on this site: 16 procedures, before & after outcomes and the medical team.
16 of 16 procedures
Limb lengthening
- Stature lengthening (leg lengthening)
Stature lengthening uses distraction osteogenesis: the bone is cut and then separated roughly 1 mm a day so new bone forms in the gap. It can be done on the tibia or the femur, typically 6-7 cm per round, with 5-7 months before a full return to normal life.
See before & after - Arm lengthening (humerus)
Humerus lengthening is used both for arm-length discrepancy and for cosmetic proportion. The conventional route uses a mono-fixator, which allows 8-10 cm and lets patients use the arm for daily tasks. The institute now favours the internal PRECICE nail: smaller scars, less pain and no pin-site infection.
See before & after - Leg length discrepancy
Leg length discrepancy can follow childhood growth-plate injury, infection, bone tumour, congenital conditions or previous bone surgery. Treatment lengthens the short side to match, correcting any accompanying angular or rotational deformity in the same plan so alignment and gait rebalance together.
See before & after - Leg lengthening with deformity correction
Many stature-lengthening patients also have bowlegs, knock-knees or torsion. The institute plans lengthening and realignment together, so height and straight alignment are achieved in one treatment rather than a second operation later.
See before & after - Brachydactyly & brachymetatarsia
Brachydactyly most often affects the metacarpals (especially the 2nd and 5th) and metatarsals (especially the 1st and 4th). Causes include childhood growth-plate damage from infection or tumour, genetic disorders, and — most commonly — no identifiable cause. Except in severe cases it does not impair function, so surgery is usually cosmetic.
See before & after
Lengthening methods
- LON (Lengthening Over Nail)
In LON an intramedullary nail is inserted together with an external fixator at the first operation. Once the target length is reached, a second operation locks the nail and removes the external frame — cutting external-fixation time to roughly half that of classic Ilizarov.
See before & after - PRECICE / STRYDE internal lengthening nail
PRECICE (Nuvasive, USA) is a fully implantable, magnetically driven lengthening nail — no external fixator at all. STRYDE works on the same mechanism but is designed to allow far more weight-bearing. Dr. Donghoon Lee was the first surgeon in Asia to perform PRECICE lengthening successfully and holds the largest single-surgeon case volume in Asia.
See before & after - LATN (Lengthening And Then Nailing)
In LATN only the external fixator is applied at the first operation; after lengthening, a second operation inserts the nail and removes the frame. Compared with LON, bone forms faster and leg alignment can be corrected more precisely. Dr. Donghoon Lee was the first in Korea to perform LATN successfully, in 2010.
See before & after - External fixation (Ilizarov)
The Ilizarov method uses an external frame throughout both the lengthening and consolidation phases. Even with LON and LATN available, it remains essential for complex deformity. The institute now pairs it with a computer-assisted correction system (Ortho-SUV, a Stewart platform), correcting multi-plane deformity in a single operation — the largest case volume of its kind in Korea.
See before & after
Deformity correction
- Bowleg correction with SADO
Bowlegs (genu varum) bow outward at the knee, and many patients have both angular and rotational deformity. Correcting the angle alone with a high tibial osteotomy can bring the knees together yet leave the overall alignment looking unnatural. Dr. Donghoon Lee therefore developed SADO — Simultaneous Angular and Derotational Osteotomy — correcting both in one operation.
See before & after - Knock-knee correction (genu valgum)
Knock-knees (genu valgum) leave the knees touching but the ankles apart when standing. Causes include trauma, childhood rickets, hereditary multiple exostosis and idiopathic cases — more common in women and often linked to body weight. Braces and physiotherapy rarely help, because the deformity is in the bone.
See before & after - Rotational deformity (in-toeing & out-toeing)
Rotational deformity lies in the rotational plane of the femur or tibia, producing in-toeing or out-toeing gait. It is often missed because plain radiographs do not show it. Treatment is a derotational osteotomy, which can be combined with angular correction using the SADO technique.
See before & after - Genu recurvatum (back-knee)
Genu recurvatum is hyperextension of the knee on standing: the leg looks deformed in profile and knee loading rises over time. Causes include growth-plate injury, ligamentous laxity and post-traumatic bone deformity. Treatment realigns the bone in the sagittal plane.
See before & after - Osteotomy for knee arthritis
When medial knee arthritis follows bowleg alignment, an osteotomy shifts load from the worn compartment to the healthier one, easing pain and deferring knee replacement. It suits younger patients whose joint still has usable cartilage.
See before & after - Complex & post-traumatic deformity
Complex deformity combines angular, rotational and length problems at once, typically after trauma, bone infection or an incomplete previous operation. The institute uses the Ortho-SUV computer system with an external frame to correct multiple planes simultaneously and precisely.
See before & after
Re-operation
- Re-operation centre
The re-operation centre treats patients whose previous lengthening or realignment ran into trouble: nonunion, post-operative malalignment, infection, hardware failure or residual length difference. Each case is re-planned from scratch using prior imaging and the current state of the bone.
See before & after
Knowledge articles in this category
Explainers, comparisons and guides for this category — not provider profiles.
Popular questions
See all questionsIs the THB amount fixed?
No. The hospital lists KRW prices. THB conversions are estimates at the selected rate; check the actual rate and fees when paying.
HeightLimb-lengthening cost in Korea 2026: LON, PRECICE and extrasHow should I calculate the full budget?
Add all quoted operations and implants, then assessment, extra rehabilitation, accommodation, living costs, carers, flights and follow-up according to the medical plan. No single total applies to every case.
HeightLimb-lengthening cost in Korea 2026: LON, PRECICE and extrasDoes the LON starting price include fixator removal?
Not in the KRW 52,800,000 first-operation price. DALRI separately lists KRW 5,940,000 for the second operation, totaling KRW 58,740,000 before extras.
HeightLimb-lengthening cost in Korea 2026: LON, PRECICE and extrasHow many centimetres can be gained?
Typically 5-8 cm per segment per operation, depending on anatomy and soft-tissue flexibility.
HeightDr. Donghoon Limb Lengthening Institute (DALRI)What are the common complications of height surgery?
Reported issues include pin-site infection with LON, knee or ankle stiffness, tight muscles and tendons requiring intensive rehabilitation, temporary numbness from nerve stretch, and delayed consolidation or axis deviation that can require revision surgery. Ask for actual rates and the remediation plan beforehand.
HeightHeight surgery reviews 2026: real before & after cases from DALRIHow long until I walk normally again?
Lengthening runs at about 1 mm per day, so 5–6 cm takes 2–3 months, followed by several months of consolidation. Most reviewed cases have follow-up films at 6–12 months, by which point normal walking has returned; high-impact activity usually waits at least a year.
HeightHeight surgery reviews 2026: real before & after cases from DALRI
Popular questions on Korean surgery, skin clinics, travel, culture and daily life — each with a short, direct answer.
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