International Patients
Limb Lengthening for International Patients
Patients complete imaging review and consultation remotely, travel to the practice in California for surgery, stay through the early lengthening period, and continue follow-up by telehealth after returning home.
Traveling to the United States
Limb lengthening for international patients is the same internal-nail limb lengthening procedure offered to patients who travel to the United States from abroad. The care is coordinated around an extended stay: a remote consultation and imaging review before travel, surgery and the early lengthening period in California, then telehealth follow-up once the patient returns home.
For the procedure itself, see how limb lengthening surgery works. For the day-to-day logistics of the trip, see traveling for limb lengthening.
Some patients travel from other countries to have limb lengthening performed in the USA. They describe the same path: a patient whose home is in another country choosing to have the procedure performed in the United States. Below, you will find why patients make that choice, how the practice supports an international stay, and what the process looks like from first contact to the flight home.
Why patients travel to the United States
Patients travel from abroad for limb lengthening for reasons that are practical rather than promotional. The most common are access to the internal lengthening method, the experience of a board-certified US surgical and anesthesia team, and the availability of care for patients who need revision of surgery performed elsewhere. The procedure itself is the same operation we perform for patients who live nearby.
- Access to the internal lengthening method, in which the hardware sits inside the bone rather than in an external frame.
- Care delivered by a board-certified US orthopedic surgeon and a US anesthesia team.
- Experience with patients who are seeking revision of a prior limb lengthening performed in another setting.
- A care team accustomed to coordinating treatment for patients who live outside the United States.
The concierge program
Because international patients coordinate treatment across borders, Premier Limb Lengthening pairs surgical care with a dedicated concierge program. You work directly with a dedicated coordinator who assists with flight planning, airport transfers, pre-vetted recovery accommodations near the Upland clinic, and on-site physical therapy scheduling before you arrive. Specific housing options, location preferences, and local logistics are handled one-on-one between you and your concierge coordinator based on your individual recovery plan.
How the process works for a patient flying in
The process is built around one reality: the patient is coordinating international travel around a months-long course of treatment. It runs in a set sequence, from the first remote consultation to follow-up after the return flight. The clinical detail of the operation and its phases is covered in our guide to leg lengthening surgery. The sequence below is the international-travel view of that same care.
- Remote consultation and imaging review. The patient shares imaging and history and meets the care team by video before making any travel plans.
- Planning and scheduling. Once the patient is a candidate, a surgery date is set and travel and documentation planning begins.
- Arrival and surgery. The patient travels to the practice in California and has the procedure.
- The in-country stay. Patients typically stay in Southern California for a minimum of ten days following surgery. This initial local period allows Dr. Basmajian to monitor wound healing, verify that initial nail distraction is proceeding normally, and confirm safe weight bearing before clearance.
- Return home. After the ten-day evaluation period and once cleared for flight travel by the clinical team, international patients return home to continue distraction and bone consolidation, though some choose to remain locally throughout lengthening.
- Telehealth follow-up. Regular virtual consultations with Dr. Basmajian continue after returning home, coordinated with digital X-rays taken locally to monitor bone regeneration.
Detailed day-to-day recovery milestones, bone consolidation stages, and physical therapy requirements are covered on our recovery expectations guide, while the mechanical lengthening process is explained in the procedure overview.
Dr. Basmajian’s international training
International patients often ask about the surgeon’s background. Dr. Basmajian completed a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at Hannover Medical School in Hannover, Germany, under Prof. Christian Krettek. You can read his full biography, credentials, and approach in Dr. Basmajian’s profile.
Planning your travel and stay
Flights, housing near the practice, and the day-to-day logistics of an international stay are covered in our guide to traveling for limb lengthening. Here we stay with the medical decision: why patients travel for this surgery and how your care is structured.
Read the full guide → traveling for limb lengthening
What it costs
Limb lengthening in the United States is an out-of-pocket procedure, and the cost is a bundle rather than a single figure, it depends on your surgical plan. For the full breakdown of what is included and the financing options available, see our limb lengthening cost guide.
Read the full guide → limb lengthening pricing and options
Common Questions
International patients also ask.
Yes. Patients travel to the United States from other countries for limb lengthening. The care is coordinated around an extended stay, with a remote consultation before travel, surgery and the early lengthening period in California, and telehealth follow-up after the patient returns home.
International patients typically stay a minimum of ten days in Southern California following surgery. This period allows Dr. Basmajian to monitor early recovery, confirm that initial nail distraction is progressing smoothly, and clear you safely for travel. Some international patients prefer to remain in near-clinic housing for a longer portion of the lengthening phase, but returning home after initial clearance is routine when coordinated with local imaging and telehealth visits.
Yes. Premier Limb Lengthening provides dedicated concierge coordination for international patients. Your coordinator assists with travel planning, recommends pre-vetted near-clinic recovery accommodations, and arranges local clinic transport. Housing options and logistical details are coordinated directly with you during the consultation and planning phase to suit your recovery timeline. For visas, the practice provides the supporting documentation your application needs, including a medical appointment letter confirming your surgeon, your procedure, and your scheduled dates. You submit the application and the issuing authority decides, so we recommend starting as early as possible.
Follow-up continues by telehealth with the care team after the patient returns home. The patient completes the consolidation period at home and stays in contact with the team by video.
Dr. Basmajian performs the procedure. He completed a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at Hannover Medical School in Hannover, Germany, under Prof. Christian Krettek. His full background is on the surgeon page.
Begin
Traveling to another country for surgery is a significant decision. It starts with a conversation.
Every part of the process on this page, from the remote consultation to the flight home, is built to give an international patient a clear view before any plans are made.