How frequent is the follow up after the operation?

We like to keep an eye to our patients! My assistant is available all the time to deal with any minor complain. I am also available in my clinic which is less than 100 meters away from the patient accommodation apartment. The regular follow up after the operation is as the following:
1-    At week 4 after the operation (about 3 weeks after starting distraction ): X-rays and check up to adjust the rate of distraction.
2-    At week 8 after the operation: X-rays and adjust distraction rate.
3-    At week 12 after the operation: X-rays and adjust the frame and bone alignment.
4-    At week 14 after the operation: X-rays and Final adjusting of the bone alignment.
5-    At week 19: X-ray and removal of the distal ring of the external fixator.
6-    Every 6 weeks after that till the date of frame removal which could be 7 to 8 months after the date of the surgery. This date depends on many factors such as: how many centimeters we lengthened ? What was the condition of the new bone formation in every individual patient ? Some patients make better bones than others (power of healing) however this makes no difference more than 1 month.  

What to do if I am smoker? Will be eligible to do the operation?

I do not like to operate at all on any smoker patient. This is because smoking negatively affects the power of healing. So, if you are smoker, please, keep yourself away from me!  The alternative is to stop smoking for at least 6 months completely then you can come to be operated. We do a special investigation to detect that, so kindly do not waste your time and our time.

How can I pay for the cost of the cost of the operation?

There are several methods of payment including:
1-    Cash in advance.
2-    Travellers check  as American express checks .
3-    Regular checks  (should be sent a month before the date of the operation to be able to collect it on time).
4-    Bank transfer.
The cheapest and lowest cost of payment is when doing a bank transfer. It is fast (takes only 3 to 4 days to arrive). It is safe and guaranteed. Our web site has been running since a long time and is impossible to have any fraud at all because we do not want to have one patient only!  We want to run a good confidence with our future patients.

What advantages of Bank transfer?

1-    The most important advantage is using our services from day one of arrival including a free pick up from the airport, free consultation in the clinic including x-rays and free accommodation from day one of arrival to Cairo.
2-    Safety, as patient do not have to carry cash and worry about and also it is not allowed to carry cash for more than 10 thousands of US $.
3-    Avoid expensive interest rate when using traveler check (3 %).
However, we accept all other methods. For bank transfer, you have to contact Dr. Elbatrawy directly via his personal e-mail: ybatrawy@yahoo.com for more information about bank account.
What does the total cost include:
Here are approximate costs of expenses:
1-    Hardware or devices bilaterally cost: 8000 Euro.
2-    Hospital cost and anesthesia doctor fee: 3000 euro.
3-    Surgeon and assistance fee: 4000 euro.
4-    Follow up for 6 months: Free.
5-    Accommodation for up to 3 months is free.
6-    Every month after that cost extra 800 euro including follow up cost and x-rays.
It is clear now for you that it is not possible to do any installment for the cost of the operation as all the cost should be paid in advance. It is very valuable because the same operation using the same device (but definitely not using Dr. Elbatrawy special technique) in Europe or USA will cost no less than 5 times this amount! Also, very few specialists over there can have such excellent results as Dr. Elbatrawy.

Can you describe for me day by day what will happen?

Day one:  Arrival to Cairo and free pick up from the airport either by Dr. Elbatrawy driver or one of his assistants.
Day two: Free consultation (also it is possible to do it in day one if you arrive early during the week days from Sunday to Wednesday).
Day 3: Doing all necessary blood investigation and x-rays.
Day 4: Doing the operation
Day 5, 6 and 7: receiving great care in one of the private medical centers where Dr. Elbatrawy admits his patients.
Day 8: Transfer to the patient’s apartment: you stay in your own separate room. You will have a nursing service and a care taker to help you with anything you need.
Day 9: You should be visited by Dr. Ibrahim who is a specialist physiotherapist for limb lengthening patient. The cost of one hour with Dr. Ibrahim is about 20 Euro and you should pay his fee directly to him. You may need his help for two hours per week in the first month then one hour per week later on. You can buy the food you like or ask the care taker to cook for you what you like. You will have to start lengthening from day 10 after the operation in a rate of ¾ mm. per day. Your doctor will teach you how to do this successfully.
Day 10 to 30: Enjoy using the walker going to the very close city stars mall: http://www.citystars.com.eg
Day 31: The date of the first follow up x-rays and adjusting the lengthening rate.
Day 60: The second follow up x-rays.
Day 90: The third follow up date and adjusting the bone alignment if needed.
Day 100: The final follow up and locking the frame.
By that day you will be able to go back to your home and just follow up with a local doctor or with doctor Elbatrawy either in Cairo or in your home ( Dr. Elbatrawy accept to come to you for follow up and possible to arrange the cost for that with him directly ). You may need 2 to 4 follow up visits till final frame removal.

Is CICLLR a hospital?

No, CICLLR is Dr. Elbatrawy clinic where he is following up and meeting his patients. It lies in 8 Elnozha street, Madinet Nasr area just infront of the Airforce defence house and hotel Tiba rose. It is just 100 meters away from Holiday Inn Heliopolis hotel and city stars huge mall.

So where will Dr. Elbatrawy do my operation?

Dr. Elbatrawy is a university professor and he works in the university hospital which accept patients who are covered by the insurance or the government only and he admits his private patients in 3 different state of art medical centers. One of them is the prestigious IMC: www.imceg.com however you will not find information about the procedure on that web site simply because it is moderated by the army and it is not allowed to add information about private doctors operating there. Also, he operates in Elnozha international hospital and Safwat Elgolf private hospital. All these medical centers have ISO certificate and all of them are fully equipped with the most modern technology equipments.  In any one of them, you will enjoy a very friendly atmosphere from the staff and the nurses who like to talk to foreign patients. You will find that most of staff can speak good English. Some also speak French, Dutch and some speak Italian.

How to manage the pain after the operation?

Dr. Elbatrawy is a very human being person  and he will never leave you in pain ! So, do not worry about this and he guarantees that his technique of maximum stability has the lowest pain among all others techniques. We do not want to write our special technique details of how to manage the post operative pain but we guarantee a pain free rehabilitation after the operation. It is very tolerable, do not worry. But remember: NO GAIN WITHOUT PAIN ! We do not want our patients to go through any pain and we care a lot about this matter.

Are you a suitable or a good candidate for cosmetic lengthening?

If you fulfill the following criteria then you are a candidate for lengthening:
1- Age: from 14 to 60.
2- Non smoker or stopped smoking for the last 6 months before starting the procedure. We do tests to detect that has smoking proved to affect negatively the new bone formation and the speed of healing and consolidation (can take longer time with smokers).
3- Not overweight.
4- Have no systemic disease as: Rheumatoid arthritis or Diabetes Mellitus, HIV positive, systemic lupus or any other systemic disease thatn can affect the lengthening procedure success.
5- Psychologically free: A meeting with a psychologist for evaluation could be arranged before the procedure to prove your eligibility for the procedure from the psychological point of view. From our previous experience with cosmetic lengthening patients, we found that it is important in some patients to study their fitness and eligibility psychologically for the lengthening procedure.

How long you should stay in Cairo ?

Although it is preferred, but it is not necessary to stay in Cairo during the entire duration of the procedure till frame or implant removal.
Many of Dr. Elbatrawy patients did the operation in Cairo and travelled back to their homes just after a week after it. Then they do the follow up every 40 to 45 days either with Dr. Elbatrawy or with a local Orthopedic surgeon who is oriented with lengthening and under the supervision of Dr. Elbatrawy himself either during the follow up visit or via e.mail. Many patients from Europe and USA choose this option.
Also, many patients preferred to stay in Cairo for the lengthening period only (about 3months) then they traveled back home. 3 to 4 months later Dr. Elbatrawy arranges their frame removal either in his clinic in Cairo or in their homes or by a local specialist. It is an easy procedure and does not need a surgical operating room. Frame removal is free of charge in Dr. Elbatrawy clinic.
All follow up visit in CICLLR including x-rays are free of charge.
We guarantee excellent results, so we never calculate cost of any additional procedure needed to treat a complication! Simply because WE DO NOT HAVE ANY.
Only in case the patient lengthened more than 6 centimeters and he or she needs for an additional minor operation to lengthen tendo achelis (to avoid ballerina foot problem ) as this could happen in about 30 % of patients lengthen more than 6 centimeters ( 2.5 inches ). Then the cost of this operation is only 3500 Euro including hospitalization for one day.

Payment methods ?

Payment is either in cash or using travel checks ( in your doctor name). Other possibility is to use Bank transfer ( Most of patients do that because it is the cheapest way ). As the system here in Egypt is different from USA or Europe, Your doctor is responsible financially about you in front of the hospital. There is no financial deal between the patient and the hospital, but between the patient and the doctor and then between the doctor and the hospital. This is very frustrating for doctors here as the doctor has to pay for the hospital, companies sailing devices and pins. He also has to pay for fees of others involved in the procedures as nurses, anesthesia doctor…etc. So, here the doctor is the responsible about everything financially regarding his patient.