Bone-breaking surgery to boost height leaves China pair disabled for life
- Legally questionable procedure uses metal device to ‘stretch’ bones, preys on people’s insecurities
A controversial height-boosting operation which involves breaking the bones in people’s legs has come under scrutiny in China after two people went public with their regrets about undergoing the procedure.
Earlier this month, Henan TV in central China reported that a woman from eastern Jiangsu province, spent 600,000 yuan (US$84,000) to travel abroad for the surgery she hoped would make her 13cm (5 inches) taller.
The name of the country was not revealed in the report.
However, instead of feeling the relief and joy she was expecting after the procedure, she suffered a series of physical problems.
In addition to a bone infection, the woman is unable to run or even walk quickly, and has difficulty breathing.
“My life has been totally ruined. If there was an operation to reverse this, I would have it at once,” she said.
