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Wang Qian, Dai Hao and Liu Lin all had the surgery after learning about the "bone-breaking height-increasing surgery" because of "height anxiety". After the surgery, some of them had "short legs" and ankle nerve damage, which caused pain when walking; some suffered from arthritis and needed long-term repair; some even suffered from osteomyelitis.

The "Notice on Strict Management of Limb Lengthening" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice") issued by the former Ministry of Health on October 20, 2006 clearly stipulates that the indications for this technology are bone defects or limb length discrepancies caused by congenital malformations, trauma, tumors, etc., as well as limb deformities caused by diseases. If the above indications are not met, the use of "limb lengthening" is strictly prohibited; it is strictly prohibited to be used for beauty projects, and medical beauty institutions are not allowed to carry out this technology.

Who is promoting these surgeries? Who is performing them? Where are they performed?

"Diversion" and "Pull People"

In an interview with The Paper, Wang Qian, Dai Hao and Liu Lin all mentioned the "biggest medical fraudster in the leg circle" - "Feng Zheng". The three said that the name "Feng Zheng" comes from his WeChat nickname "The Kite Chaser". In the "leg circle", some people also call him "Mr. Liang".

Multiple videos sent by “medical agents” (screenshots)

When Liu Lin first browsed related information on Tieba, she saw a WeChat account and added it, and found that the nickname of the other party was "Turkey Height Increase Team". She said that this WeChat account was also operated by "Feng Kite". Then she was pulled into a WeChat group chat, which was already full of 500 people.

Wang Qian and Dai Hao also met "leg friends" and "medical agents" in the same way. They said that "medical agents" mainly release surgery-related information through social platforms to "attract traffic" and "attract people".

Recently, a reporter from The Paper searched multiple social media platforms and found multiple accounts promoting "bone-breaking height-increasing surgery" on different platforms.

On Kuaishou, using the keywords "increase height" and "grow taller" to search for an account named "bubuzenggao", which has posted multiple videos of this surgery being performed abroad. In the personal profile of the account, there are WeChat and QQ numbers.

Using the keyword "limb lengthening", two accounts of "Vietnam Limb Lengthening Center" appeared, and many of the videos they posted were labeled with words such as "bone lengthening" and "bone lengthening". Similarly, the account also left a WeChat ID.

On Kuaishou and many other platforms, you can find accounts promoting "bone-breaking height increase" (screenshot)

In addition to introducing foreign surgical cases, more domestic surgical cases are promoted. On Kuaishou and Douyin, an account named "Yang Youyou" posted multiple videos showing a young girl with a good figure undergoing surgery.

On Weibo, there are also accounts such as "Rationally Understand Bone Height Increase" that have posted multiple videos and articles introducing the "bone height increase" surgery. The account also left contact information and a QR code for the WeChat group chat.

Wang Qian, Dai Hao and Liu Lin believe that there are a lot of messages in the forums such as "Height Forum", "Height Increase Forum" and "Surgery Height Increase Forum". Many accounts post content after "bone-breaking height increase" surgery. For example, photos of people wearing external leg braces, photos of people sitting in wheelchairs, and photos of many "leg friends" having dinner together.

People often share photos of "breaking bones to increase height" in the forum (screenshot)

Both Liu Lin and Wang Qian said that "medical agents" use social platforms to attract the attention of people who want to increase their height, and guide them into WeChat groups through the contact information they leave to become "potential customers."

The “talking skills” of medical agents

Like Wang Qian and Dai Hao, Liu Lin also joined the "Chasing Light and Pursuing Dreams" group operated by "Feng Kite".

They all said that at first they thought the surgery was painful and had complications, and even questioned the risk of disability and paralysis. But after entering the group chat of "medical agents", their doubts were gradually dispelled.

"Gradually, people will come to believe that the risk of surgery is not great and recovery is quite fast." Liu Lin said that people in the group often share information about surgery, and there are also "leg friends who have undergone surgery" who post videos of walking with an external frame and claim that they can walk the day after the operation.

Some people also posted about the living environment during the rehabilitation period. "(They) seemed very relaxed, saying that the service was good, they were very responsible, and the environment was good. There were also videos of them in the gym." Liu Lin told reporters that "Feng Kite" claimed that he had undergone surgery many years ago. His height grew from 162cm to 175cm, and he could run and jump after a few years, and his legs could walk normally. He posted videos of himself running, jumping, and walking in the WeChat group many times.

"Medical agents will also tell you that this surgery is banned in China because the technology is poor. Turkey has good technology, so they have been doing it. Turkey has advanced technology and rich experience," she said.

Relevant chat content in 2021 showed that an account nicknamed "Turkish Height Increase Team" once introduced: "There were 3 Chinese patients who underwent surgery last week" and "This doctor has performed hundreds of height increase surgeries on patients, nearly forty of whom are Chinese patients."

The information Liu Lin received in the group made him believe that the operation was safe and had little risk.

The screenshots of the chats in the third group of "Chasing Lights and Dreams" obtained by The Paper show that the group had more than 480 members at the time. A user nicknamed "The Kite Chaser 162-175" said in the group, "Two months ago, a guy weighing nearly 200 pounds came to do it. He added a half-needle and it worked. The intramedullary needle material I use is the best in China, so it's not a big problem."

In another WeChat group, someone claimed to be "made in Shandong, it's been more than two months, it's 6 centimeters tall, and it's about to be dismantled."

Another chat screenshot shows that "The Kite Runner" said, "Even if there is no 'Kite Runner', will the obsession in your hearts disappear? Will you not have this surgery? Are you willing to compromise with life?"

"It's like you've grabbed a lifeline, and every day you imagine what you'll look like when you grow taller," said Liu Lin, describing her mindset after joining the "Feng Kite" WeChat group. Later, she decided to go to Turkey for surgery.

Liu Lin said that the cost of the "bone-breaking and height-increasing surgery" on her calves and thighs in Turkey, including surgery fees, accommodation, meals and other expenses, was about 600,000 yuan.

Wang Qian also experienced the same mental journey. When she joined the group chat, she saw this information. In addition, a "leg friend" told her about other people's cases of good recovery after surgery. She "chatted with them every day and was brainwashed by them. I thought about this matter every day. This was the only thing in my mind."

Recently, The Paper added the WeChat account of "The Kite Runner" on the grounds that he wanted to grow taller and wanted to have a height-increasing surgery. The other party sent several videos, including several videos of the "patient" walking after the surgery, and several videos of the "auntie" taking care of the "patient's" daily life.

The other party said, "Daily life will be taken care of by an auntie, and there will be rehabilitation therapy and exercise together after surgery." Regarding accommodation conditions, the other party said "single room accommodation" and sent several videos of living environments. Later, the other party pushed a WeChat account nicknamed "Gu Guanjia Orthopedic Rehabilitation Consultation (unique account)".

After The Paper added the "bone butler"'s WeChat account, the other party asked to send information such as name, age, phone number, height, city, expected height and planned surgery time. The signature of the "bone butler" WeChat account is "Bone lengthening and correction institution with more than 500 cases". In the circle of friends, the other party posted multiple "bone lengthening" cases and videos or pictures of the internal daily life of the institution.

Who is performing the surgery?

Who will perform the surgery? This is one of the biggest questions for those who are new to the "leg circle".

When The Paper asked "The Kite Runner", the other party introduced: "Currently 150,000 yuan for a one-stop service, with a senior director with more than ten years of experience in a third-level public hospital as the lead surgeon, free plastic surgery and suture, accommodation during the 4-month extension period, rehabilitation and physical therapy, and nursing staff; 100,000 yuan for the surgery, not all included."

The reporter noticed that there were chat records showing that "The Kite Runner" introduced several doctors, including "Beijing Zhang Haitao (intramedullary needle technology for foot acupuncture)" and "Jinan Qi Zhanhai" and others.

Wang Qian recalled that the doctors who performed the surgery on her were "Zhang Haitao" and "Qi Zhanhai". According to the information provided by the "medical agent", "Zhang Haitao" was from the Rehabilitation Hospital affiliated to the National Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices Research Center. But she could not confirm whether the two used their real names.

Under the arrangement of the "medical agent", Wang Qian went to Heze Orthopedic Hospital in Shandong Province to prepare for surgery in early 2022. Her transfer records showed that she had transferred a total of 130,000 yuan to "Zhang Haitao" and "Heze Orthopedic Hospital" in 2022.

According to the official website of Heze Orthopedic Hospital, the hospital is "a modern specialized hospital with orthopedics as the leading department, integrating medical treatment, rehabilitation and emergency treatment." Tianyancha information shows that the hospital was established on December 5, 2013 and is a private non-enterprise unit.

The first page of Wang Qian's hospitalization medical record issued by Heze Orthopedic Hospital shows that the emergency diagnosis was "double knee varus deformity." Another "operation record" shows that the surgeon was "Qi Zhanhai" and the assistant was "Wang Acheng."

Regarding the diagnosis of "double knee varus deformity", Wang Qian said that after she arrived in Heze, a man who claimed to be a "medical agent" friend came to pick her up and took her to the orthopedic department of the hospital, where she was admitted. When she was discharged from the hospital, she got the first page of the hospitalization medical record and saw that she was diagnosed with "double knee varus deformity".

She also expressed confusion as to why "Zhang Haitao"'s name was not included in the "Operation Record". She said that when she entered the operating room, she asked "Zhang Haitao" about the operation time and said that she was a little scared.

The chat records sent by Wang Qian show that she and "Zhang Haitao" have been in contact for at least half a year. In one chat screenshot, Wang Qian asked the other party, "It's almost below the knee where the needle was inserted, and it feels more and more painful now." The other party replied, "Wait, the nail will be removed and it will definitely not hurt more and more."

On August 21, a staff member of the Medical Administration Section of the Heze Municipal Health Commission told reporters that Wang Qian had complained that the Heze Orthopedic Hospital performed "limb lengthening surgery" and that the health department of the Luxi New District, to which the hospital involved belongs, is currently investigating the matter.

Afterwards, the reporter called the orthopedics department of the National Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices Research Center Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital. A staff member said that Zhang Haitao had not worked at the hospital since last year. Public information shows that Zhang Haitao previously served as a member of the Limb Rehabilitation Professional Committee of the China Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Association and deputy director of the Orthopedics Department 1 of the National Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices Research Center Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital.

The identity of "Qi Zhanhai" is complex and he is suspected to be related to many private hospitals in Jinan. The public verdict shows that there was a doctor named "Qi Zhanhai" in Jinan Microsurgery Hospital.

The above judgment disclosed that from April 10, 2017 to January 31, 2018, he practiced at Jinan Orthopedic Hospital, and multiple institutions were registered at Jinan Microsurgery Hospital. His practice level was practicing physician, his practice category was clinical, and his practice scope was surgical specialty. On April 20, 2018, the Jinan Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission issued the Administrative Penalty Decision No. Jiweiyifa (2018) 2842, fining Qi Zhanhai 3,000 yuan for carrying out the clinically prohibited "limb lengthening surgery" at Jinan Microsurgery Hospital, and revoking the administrative penalty of surgical treatment subject. On April 25, 2018, the Jinan Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission issued the Administrative Penalty Decision No. Jiweiyifa (2018) 2846, suspending Qi Zhanhai's practice for 6 months because he violated the regulations by carrying out the "limb lengthening surgery".

The verdict shows that Qi Zhanhai was sued by a patient in 2018 for medical damages such as "arthritis of the right knee", "pain in the right knee joint" and "unequal length of both lower limbs" caused by performing "bone height-increasing surgery". The court ruled at first instance that Qi Zhanhai's medical treatment activities were job-related behaviors, and the defendant, Jinan Microsurgery Hospital, should bear the corresponding compensation liability and pay more than 400,000 yuan to the patient.

In response to this, The Paper called Jinan Microsurgery Hospital in the name of "surgery consultation" and asked whether "Qi Zhanhai" was a doctor of the hospital. The other party said, "He should be a doctor hired by the hospital to perform surgery, but he is not a doctor here."

In addition, experts named "Qi Zhanhai" have also appeared in Jinan Beicheng Hospital, Jinan 106 Hospital, and Jinan Sino-German Medical Group (Sino-German Orthopedic Hospital). Public information shows that he has been engaged in orthopedic work for more than 10 years and has rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of various common orthopedic diseases, limb fractures, and osteoarthritis. He is particularly good at lower limb deformity correction. He has unique techniques learned in Russia in the rehabilitation treatment of "bone lengthening", difficult nonunion bone defects, and severe clubfoot deformity.

The doctor involved was suspended

According to Dai Hao, he has always been cautious about surgery. He believes that some of the hospitals introduced by "medical agents" are "small hospitals" and he is worried that the surgical conditions and the doctors' skills are not good enough.

He learned from his "leg friends" circle that Zhao Guohong, an "expert" at Henan Provincial People's Hospital, performed this type of surgery. He believed that the medical conditions and technology of the "provincial hospital" were trustworthy. So he registered for Zhao Guohong's outpatient appointment.

Information on the official website of Henan Provincial People's Hospital shows that Zhao Guohong is a member of the standing committee and secretary-general of the Hand Surgery Branch of the Henan Medical Association, deputy director of the Hand Surgery Branch of the Henan Medical Association, member of the Restoration and Reconstruction Branch of the Henan Rehabilitation Medicine Association, a member of the 4th Medical Accident Technical Appraisal Expert Pool of the Henan Medical Association, deputy director and associate chief physician of Hand and Foot Microsurgery and Wound Repair Surgery, and is good at treating hand injuries, peripheral nerves, and thumb and finger reconstruction.

Dai Hao said that he was admitted to Henan Provincial People's Hospital in early 2023 and underwent surgery, and "did not use medical insurance". The front page of his hospitalization medical record shows that he was admitted to the "Hand and Foot Microsurgery and Wound Repair Surgery Department" and was diagnosed with "acquired genu varum". The medical payment method was "New Rural Cooperative Medical Care", and the attending physician and resident physician were both "Zhao Guohong".

The first page of Dai Hao’s hospitalization medical record at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital shows that both the attending physician and the resident physician were “Zhao Guohong”.

Dai Hao said that he had surgery at Henan Provincial People's Hospital in early 2023 and "used medical insurance." (Except for special marks, all pictures in this article are provided by the interviewee)

Four or five months after the operation, his legs began to become infected and inflamed. Now it has been a year and a half since the operation. His left leg is longer than his right leg. In order to balance his legs as much as possible, he put a height-increasing pad in his right shoe. If he walks for a long time, his legs will feel strained and his ankles will hurt when he walks.

Regarding this matter, a staff member of the Zhengzhou Municipal Health Supervision Institute's report and complaint reception room told reporters on August 22 that the institute had already conducted a verification and found suspected violations of laws and regulations, and has now filed a case for investigation. As for what suspected violations of laws and regulations there are, the other party said that the final investigation results have not yet come out.

The "Reply to the Complaint against Henan Provincial People's Hospital" (hereinafter referred to as the "Reply") received by Dai Hao in early August this year from the Zhengzhou Municipal Health Supervision Institute shows that the institute retrieved relevant medical records from Henan Provincial People's Hospital and questioned relevant personnel. After preliminary verification, the hospital was suspected of violating relevant laws and regulations. The Zhengzhou Municipal Health Commission filed a case for investigation on June 28, 2024 and intends to impose administrative penalties. The investigation and handling are currently being carried out in accordance with the administrative penalty procedures. The "Reply" is dated August 2, 2024 and is stamped with the red seal of the "Zhengzhou Municipal Health Supervision Institute" for law enforcement.

On the afternoon of August 22, a staff member surnamed Cheng from the Medical Department of Henan Provincial People's Hospital told reporters that the hospital's Medical Department, Outpatient Office and other departments had previously cooperated with the city's Health Supervision Institute in the investigation and handed over relevant cases and materials to the city's Health Supervision Institute for processing. After the hospital discovered the violation, it immediately suspended the doctor involved and dealt with it seriously, while further strengthening supervision to resolutely prevent violations from occurring.

"Limb lengthening is strictly prohibited if it is not indicated."

This surgery carries several risks.

Zhang Yaqing, director of the Pediatric Orthopedics Department and deputy director of the Spine Center at Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, said in an interview with reporters that, firstly, there is a risk of damage to blood vessels and nerves in the legs during surgery; secondly, when steel needles are injected into bones, there is a risk of infection in the needle tract, and once the needle tract is infected, it may further develop into osteomyelitis. At the same time, if the legs are fixed in an external frame for a long time, the legs cannot be effectively moved, which will also cause joint stiffness.

In addition, he also revealed that the purpose of cosmetic height enhancement is to lengthen the legs, but during the healing process of bones, nonunion may occur. "The higher the height, the greater the risk." He said that when the two legs are stretched and adjusted, they may even be "short and long" due to uneven adjustment, causing inconvenience in walking.

Zhang Yaqing admitted that my country currently strictly prohibits healthy people from undergoing "limb lengthening surgery". This surgery is only used on patients with limb length inequality, bone deformities, bone defects, etc.

In the "Notice" issued on October 20, 2006, the former Ministry of Health clearly stipulated that the indications for this technology are bone defects or limb length inequality caused by congenital malformations, trauma, tumors, infections, etc., as well as limb deformities caused by diseases.

The notice shows that "limb lengthening" must be performed in qualified medical institutions. "Limb lengthening" is an orthopedic clinical treatment technology, not a medical cosmetology project, and medical cosmetology institutions are not allowed to carry out this technology. The medical institution that carries out this technology should be a qualified tertiary general hospital or orthopedic specialty hospital with an "orthopedic" diagnosis and treatment subject approved by the health administration department.

In addition, the Notice also states that the clinical indications for limb lengthening must be strictly controlled and specific medical safety measures must be formulated. The indications for this technology are bone defects or limb length discrepancies caused by congenital malformations, trauma, tumors, infections, etc., as well as limb deformities caused by diseases.

"If the above indications are not met, the use of 'limb lengthening' is strictly prohibited; it is strictly prohibited for cosmetic purposes." The notice also shows that hospitals must have specific measures to ensure medical quality and medical safety. When using limb lengthening technology, the patient's nerves, blood vessels, tendons, muscles and skin should be guaranteed to maintain or restore their original physiological functions.

Zhang Yaqing said that once the growth plates of human bones are closed, people basically have no ability to grow any taller, and their height is basically set around the age of 18 or 19. He suggested that the public should be rational about height and avoid taking extreme measures.

(Wang Qian, Dai Hao, and Liu Lin in this article are all pseudonyms)