Dr. Rozbruch – Limb Lengthening Costs (Surgical & Other Expenses)

Dr. Robert Rozbruch has been the Chief of the Limb Lengthening and Complex Reconstruction Service since the year 2005 and is the leading leg lengthening surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS – one be the best hospitals in the world) [1]. 

With over 150 published papers to his name, he is a brilliant orthopedic surgeon and one of the best if you’re looking to gain inches in height. However, it’s important to note that Dr. Rozbruch is one of the most expensive surgeons in the world but his expertise in the field justifies the costs. 

How Much Does Limb Lengthening Surgery Cost with Dr. Robert Rozbruch?

The cost of limb lengthening surgery typically depends on the location of the hospital, the quality of care provided by the staff, and more importantly, the doctor’s reputation within the leg lengthening and orthopedic community. 

Considering he operates at HSS, which is based in New York, and is one of the most well-known names in his field, limb lengthening costs with Dr. Rozbruch range can go up to $125,000, excluding hospital and PT costs.

The approximate current medical costs for bilateral lengthening is about $125,000 which includes a discounted surgeon’s fee, hospital and equipment fees. Out of this, Dr. Rozbruch’s personal fees are:

• Bilateral femur lengthening (lengthening both thigh bones simultaneously): $75,000 – $80,000
• Bilateral tibia lengthening (lengthening both calf bones simultaneously): $78,000 – $83,000

With femur surgery, patients can gain up to 8 cm of height by the end of the distraction period, while they can gain 5 cm with the tibia [2][3]. They can also get surgery two or three times, lengthening femurs first and tibias second. 

Dr. Rozbruch also offers quadrilateral lengthening surgery in some cases – lengthening both the tibias and the femurs at the same time – but it can cost approximately 150% more than bilateral lengthening based on other surgeons’ prices such as Dr. Paley [4].

However, the process to get surgery by him is rigorous, as the patient must pass an independent psychological evaluation to get through.  

What Expenses are Covered in Dr. Rozbruch’s Price?

Dr. Rozbruch’s fees aren’t nearly as all-inclusive as several other surgeons. However, patients get the comfort of knowing they’re in capable, highly experienced hands. Here’s what this initial cost of approximately $125,000 covers:

• Bilateral femur lengthening surgery with Precice STRYDE (currently recalled)
• Hospital fees, which can go up to $80,000
• Surgeon fees
• Anesthesiologist fees
• Surgery assistant fees
• Hospitalist/internal medicine doctor fees
• Soft tissue release, like IT band, bicep tendon, and gastro-soleus muscles
• Wheelchair, walker, crutches, and bedside commode post-surgery
• Post-surgery consultations with Dr. Rozbruch

What Other Costs Are There?

Patients must consider additional costs when calculating limb lengthening costs under Dr. Rozbruch. Considering HSS is located in New York and most patients are in the hospital for about 3 days after the initial surgery, hospital stay fees, accommodation costs, food costs, etc., are pretty high.

While patients have access to hospital-provided therapy while they’re in the hospital, once they pass that, Dr. Rozbruch may prescribe either at-home or formal PT. It’s always best to go with a professional if patients can afford it to reduce the risk of complications and injuries, even though home exercises may save on cost. 

• Initial consultation fees: $350 – $400
• Psychological evaluation: $800
• X-rays: $600 – $700
• Medications and pharmaceuticals (pain medicine and anticoagulants): $70 – $383 + vitamin D and anti-inflammatory medicine [5]
• Accommodations in New York: $40 – $400 per night 
• Travel to and from New York: $50 – $500 flight and $22 – $250 taxi
• Travel to HSS: $10 – $55 taxi
• Physical therapy in New York: $150 per session [6]
• Food and other supplies: $37 average per day [7]
• Entertainment and/or internet costs: $40 – $1,000 per month [8]
• Home health aides (nurses, homemakers, etc.): $4,767 per month [9]

What’s The Cost of Nail Removal?

Getting the internal nail removed is an excellent idea to prevent future infections, even though it’s not part of the initial surgery or hospital costs. Dr. Rozbruch will typically charge $5,000 to remove one nail, totaling approximately $10,000 for removal of both nails. 

Keep in mind that the hospital will charge patients for anesthesia and their stay, which may come out to an additional $10,000 – $15,000. However, if there aren’t any complications, removal may be an outpatient procedure.

Costs of Correctional Procedures from Dr. Rozbruch

There’s a 5-6% chance that a patient will suffer from a severe deformity like bow legs or knock knees with stature lengthening surgery [10]. Though the exact cost for correction isn’t known, patients should keep an extra $10,000 – $50,000 on hand for additional procedures.

Does Dr. Rozbruch Cover Costs of Potential Complications?

According to Dr. Rozbruch, limb lengthening has a success rate of 95%, but patients can have some minor complications like fat embolisms or muscle stiffness that can require $20,000 – $30,000 worth of surgery to correct [11]. These costs will likely not be covered under the initial cost of surgery.

Does Insurance Cover Any Costs of Limb Lengthening Surgery?

The most significant advantage of having leg lengthening performed at HSS is that insurance may cover the post-surgery hospital stay and all x-rays, leaving patients with a small co-pay of about $1,000 instead of $80,000, depending on coverage. HSS doesn’t focus primarily on cosmetic surgery as their selling point, and, thus, the hospital stay may not be considered elective.

However, the initial surgery is still cosmetic, and insurance will not cover that portion so patients will have to pay for it in full.

Total Expected Costs of Limb Lengthening with Dr. Rozbruch

Finally, here are the total estimated costs of limb lengthening under Dr. Rozbruch. Remember that insurance will drive down much of these costs, and patients can always recover at home as formal PT is optional if they diligently perform Dr. Rozbruch’s prescribed exercises. 

Patients won’t necessarily require a home aide, though having one will always be helpful. The timeline to full recovery may vary, but considering $20 – $50 for food every day and $140 – $400 per night for accommodation for 3 months in New York City, the costs come out to [3]:

• Surgery, releases, hospital stay, physical therapy, x-rays, Dr. Rozbruch’s fees: USD $75,000 – $83,000
• Hospital stay: $1,000 – $80,000
• Nail Removal: $10,000 – $25,000
• Estimated Costs of Medication: $70 – $500
• Potential Complications: $0 – $30,000
• Deformity Correction: $0 – $50,000
• Food: $0 – $4,600
• Lodging: $12,740 – $36,800 
• Flights: $100 – $1,000
• Travel to and from New York: $44 – $500
• Travel between hospital and hotel: $0 – $660
• Miscellaneous Costs: $1,190 – $2,900
• Caretaker Costs: $0 – $14,301
• TOTAL: $100,144 – $329,261

Note, these figures our estimates but each cost should be considered before committing to such a procedure. 

Patients need to pay a deposit of $30,000 upfront before the surgery, which will deduct from the total cost. HSS also offers financial aid to patients with LightStream, providing loans of $50,000 – $100,000 [12]. They also guide patients in insurance matters, so they don’t have to pay more than what’s necessary.

Besides that, patients can reduce costs by choosing an HSS partner hotel with food included that may provide free travel to and from the hospital and fly cheaper than they usually would. A cheap hotel may be too uncomfortable for recovery, and the food provided may not be adequate for healing and consolidation.

Thanks to Dr. Rozbruch’s rigorous pre-surgery evaluations, only patients who will truly benefit from the surgery will have access to it at HSS. However, since limb lengthening costs with Dr. Rozbruch are still relatively high, patients should consider their financial position and mental state before beginning this procedure. 

If someone does decide to go for it, though, they’re sure to get some of the best surgery and care in the US.

References

[1] HSS. (2021, June 8). Dr. Robert Rozbruch. Limb Lengthening. https://www.limblengthening.com/rozbruch/ 

[2] Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. (2018). Costs & Financial Considerations. Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. https://paleyinstitute.org/centers-of-excellence/stature-lengthening/costs-financial-considerations/#/ 

[3] HSS. (2018, April 30). FAQ – Stature Lengthening Surgery. Stature Lengthening Surgery. https://www.staturelengthening.net/faq/ 

[4] Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. (2015, September 26). Costs & Financial Considerations – Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. Paley Institute. https://paleyinstitute.org/centers-of-excellence/stature-lengthening/costs-financial-considerations/#/ 

[5] Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. (2022). Stature Lengthening Guide Book [PDF]. https://paleyinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/StatureLengtheningGuide-Website.pdf

[6] Thervo. (2019, July 19). 2021 Physical Therapy Costs | Sessions With & Without Insurance. Thervo. https://thervo.com/costs/physical-therapy-cost 

[7] Budget Your Trip. (2021, May 29). New York City Travel Cost – Average Price of a Vacation to New York City: Food & Meal Budget, Daily & Weekly Expenses | BudgetYourTrip.com. Budget Your Trip. https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/united-states-of-america/new-york-city 

[8] allconnect. (2021, December 6). Best 9 Internet Providers in New York, NY | Plans Start at $35. Allconnect.com. https://www.allconnect.com/local/ny/new-york 

[9] Caring.com. (2020, September 10). The Cost of In-Home Care in New York. Caring.com. https://www.caring.com/senior-care/in-home-care/new-york 

[10] Paley D. (1990). Problems, obstacles, and complications of limb lengthening by the Ilizarov technique. Clinical orthopaedics and related research, (250), 81–104. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2403498/ 

[11] Novick, N. (2020, April 28). Limb Lengthening: An Overview by S. Robert Rozbruch. HSS. https://www.hss.edu/conditions_limb-lengthening-overview.asp 

[12] HSS. (2020, May 27). Financing. Limb Lengthening. https://www.limblengthening.com/financing/