My Nail Removal Surgery at New Bone Taller

My Nail Removal Surgery and Stay in Istanbul with New Bone Taller

This time, I traveled to Istanbul, Turkey again to have the intramedullary nails removed after my previous limb lengthening surgery.

I had previously undergone limb lengthening surgery in Turkey and gained about 6.6 cm in height.

At that time, New Bone Taller did not yet exist under its current name, but some of the staff who now work with New Bone Taller had already supported me during my previous treatment.

This time, I had the opportunity to receive support from New Bone Taller for my nail removal surgery.

I would like to share my experience from arriving at Istanbul Airport, staying at the hotel, going to the hospital, having surgery, meeting the doctor, doing rehabilitation, and receiving support from the local staff. I hope this can be helpful for anyone considering limb lengthening or nail removal in Turkey.

Arrival at Istanbul Airport

When I arrived at Istanbul Airport, a New Bone Taller staff member came to pick me up.

After a long flight, it was very convenient not to have to figure out transportation by myself at such a large airport. I was able to go directly from the airport to the hotel with their support.

During my stay, they helped me not only with airport transportation, but also with transportation between the hotel and hospital, shopping, sightseeing, and many other things I needed in daily life.

When having surgery abroad, there are many small things to worry about besides the surgery itself, such as transportation and buying necessary items.

It was very helpful that I did not have to deal with those things alone.

Hotel

I stayed at Ramada Residences by Wyndham İstanbul Haramidere.

The room was clean and comfortable, including during my recovery after surgery.

One thing I especially appreciated was the housekeeping. The bed sheets were changed every day.

After limb lengthening or nail removal surgery, you spend a lot of time in the hotel, so I think cleanliness is even more important than during a normal trip.

In that respect, I was very satisfied with the hotel.

The meals were also served warm.

There were Turkish-style foods such as ham and cheese, which made the stay feel more local.

After surgery, it is not always easy to go outside to eat, so being able to have warm meals at the hotel was also very convenient.

Hospital

I had my surgery at Medicana Zincirlikuyu.

New Bone Taller staff also supported me with transportation to and from the hospital, so I did not have to worry about transportation or the hospital procedures by myself.

Since I am not very confident in English, communication was one of my concerns about having surgery abroad.

For that reason, having someone available to support me before and after surgery was very reassuring.

My Doctor

My doctor was Op. Dr. Ozgur Ismail Turk.

Dr. Turk was very kind and friendly.

My English is not very good, and he understood that, so he spoke slowly to make it easier for me to understand.

As someone having surgery in a foreign country, I really appreciated this.

After the surgery, he also showed me a video of the actual nail removal procedure.

It was very interesting to see how the implants that had been inside my body were removed.

He was easy to talk to and explained things in a friendly way, which made me feel comfortable.

Nail Removal Surgery – August 10

My surgery was on August 10.

The purpose of this surgery was to remove the intramedullary nails and screws that had been used during my previous limb lengthening surgery.

My biggest concern before surgery was whether removing the implants could cause any problems with the bone, especially a refracture.

Fortunately, the surgery was completed without any major problems such as refracture.

Some small parts of the screws remained inside the bone, but the doctor explained that leaving them there would not cause any problems.

I felt very relieved when I learned that the surgery had gone well.

A long time has passed since I first started my limb lengthening journey, and completing this nail removal surgery felt like an important final milestone for me.

Recovery After Surgery

Of course, I could not move normally immediately after surgery.

At first, I sometimes felt dizzy when standing up.

I slowly started practicing walking without pushing myself too hard.

I had surgery on August 10, and by August 13, three days after surgery, I was already able to walk a short distance without crutches.

Of course, being able to walk does not mean I am fully recovered yet.

Before the surgery, I had also experienced a clicking or popping sensation in my right leg.

After the nail removal surgery, that sensation disappeared.

For me, this was one of the things I was especially happy about.

Rehabilitation

After surgery, I gradually started rehabilitation while checking how my body was feeling.

At first, I focused on basic things such as getting out of bed, standing up, and walking.

I adjusted the amount of activity depending on my pain level and physical condition.

The physical therapist also checked my walking and general condition while I practiced walking.

I believe limb lengthening does not simply end when you become taller.

After lengthening, it takes time to recover muscle strength, flexibility, walking ability, and overall physical function.

The same is true after nail removal.

I do not want to rush my recovery, so I plan to gradually increase my activity while following the advice of the doctor and physical therapist.

After returning to Japan, I will continue rehabilitation.

My first goal is to regain stable and natural walking, and after that, I want to recover enough to be able to run normally again.

For anyone considering limb lengthening, I think it is important to think not only about the surgery itself, but also about what kind of rehabilitation and support will be available afterward.

New Bone Taller Staff

One of the things I appreciated most during this stay was the support from the New Bone Taller staff.

They helped me with airport transportation, transportation between the hotel and hospital, shopping, sightseeing, and many other parts of daily life.

When I was feeling well enough, they also took me sightseeing in Istanbul.

This time, I was able to visit places such as Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, which I had not been able to visit during my previous stay in Turkey.

Even though the main purpose of the trip was surgery, I was able to make some very good memories.

Another thing that especially impressed me was their support at night.

They did not just tell me once, but repeatedly said:

“If you have any problem, please contact us anytime, even at night.”

As a patient, it is sometimes difficult to contact staff late at night because you may think, “Is this problem serious enough?” or “Am I bothering them?”

I felt that the staff were actively trying to remove that psychological barrier.

Of course, it is important that someone can actually respond when there is a problem, but simply knowing that I was welcome to contact them at any time made me feel much more secure.

They also regularly checked how I was feeling and helped with things such as bandage changes.

Because of that, I was able to stay at the hotel with peace of mind after surgery.

I was also very happy to see some of the staff again whom I had known since my previous treatment in Turkey.

My Overall Impression of New Bone Taller

This experience reminded me that when having limb lengthening surgery abroad, choosing a good surgeon is obviously very important, but the people who support you outside the operating room are also extremely important.

In reality, patients spend much more time living in the hotel than they do in the hospital.

During that time, there are many things to deal with, such as meals, shopping, transportation, wound care, rehabilitation, and changes in physical condition.

Especially after surgery, even simple daily activities can become difficult.

I was very grateful that New Bone Taller supported me from the moment I arrived at the airport, through my hotel stay, hospital visits, surgery, and recovery.

The staff were approachable, and I felt comfortable asking for help whenever I needed it.

That was a major source of reassurance for me.

Final Thoughts

I do not think limb lengthening is a surgery that should be recommended casually.

It is expensive, painful, and requires a long period of rehabilitation.

There are also real medical risks involved.

Anyone considering limb lengthening should carefully research not only the benefits, but also the risks and the realities of recovery before making a decision.

At the same time, if you decide to have surgery abroad, especially in Turkey, I think it is important to consider not only which doctor will perform the surgery, but also where you will stay and who will support you during your recovery.

Thanks to the support of New Bone Taller, I was able to safely complete my second surgery in Turkey.

I am very grateful to Dr. Turk, the hospital staff, and everyone at New Bone Taller who supported me during my stay.

After returning to Japan, I will continue rehabilitation and work toward moving more freely again.

I also hope that New Bone Taller will continue to grow and support many more limb lengthening patients in the future.