A local man now facing paralysis is bringing back to light the dangers of “limb lengthening” surgery. With the practice driven underground in China, those dreaming of being taller headed abroad for the complicated procedure that left many with not height, but regret.
一名目前面临瘫痪的当地男子重新认识到“肢体延长”手术的危险。随着这种做法在中国的地下化，那些梦想长高的人前往国外接受复杂的手术，这让许多人得到的不是身高，而是遗憾。
On Wednesday, 23 September, it was reported that the chief orthopedic physician of the Second People’s Hospital of Huai’an City in our very own Jiangsu Province said that a serious infection had occurred in the case of a 22-year old local man who had travelled abroad seeking to be a few centimeters taller.
9月23日星期三，有报道称，江苏省淮安市第二人民医院骨科主任医师称，当地一名22岁男子因出国求长高几厘米，出现严重感染。
Technically known as osteotomy, limb-lengthening treatment can cost as much as ¥500,000 and often takes several years, with the patient undergoing several operations. As such, there is an increased risk of infection and thrombosis. The serious condition of this particular case means the young man is likely looking at lifelong disability.
肢体延长治疗技术上称为截骨术，费用高达 50 万日元，而且通常需要数年时间，患者需要接受多次手术。因此，感染和血栓形成的风险增加。这个特殊病例的严重情况意味着这名年轻人可能会面临终身残疾。
The unnamed man in Huai’an had had concerns over his height for a long time and wished to be 1.8 metres tall, said Chief Orthopedist, Dr. Wang Lei, reports the UK’s Daily Mail.
据英国《每日邮报》报道，淮安市一位不愿透露姓名的男子长期以来对自己的身高感到担忧，希望身高能达到1.8米。
That same publication also goes on to say that the practice of limb lengthening was banned in China in 2006. The true picture is a little more complicated.
该出版物还接着说，肢体延长术在 2006 年就被禁止了。实际情况要复杂一些。
On 10 October of that year, the former Ministry of Health (now the National Health Commission) issued a notice to regulate the management of osteotomy, placing it in the same category as gene therapy. Accordingly, experts from Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine have also stated that such operations are forbidden to be performed on healthy people in China, reports The Paper.
当年10月10日，原卫生部（现国家卫健委）发出通知，规范截骨治疗管理，将截骨治疗与基因治疗归为同一类。据澎湃新闻报道，南京中医药大学专家也表示，在中国禁止对健康人进行此类手术。
In related news, here in Nanjing, a woman has found herself in intensive care after having plastic surgery at the city’s Nanjing Yueyan Beauty Hospital.
相关新闻报道，在南京，一名妇女在南京月燕美容医院接受整形手术后，发现自己正在重症监护室。
Complications arising from a ¥200,000 treatment led to the woman developing a life-threatening heart condition. The woman’s family accuse the hospital of being unwilling to take responsibility, while Yueyan responded that it shall bear a share of the medical expenses based on the results of diagnosis, reported The Paper yesterday.
花费20万日元的治疗引发的并发症导致这位女士患上了危及生命的心脏病。据澎湃新闻昨日报道，女子家属指责医院不愿承担责任，而悦研则回应称，将根据诊断结果承担部分医疗费用。
For many years now have the Chinese taken extreme measures in the name of perceived, stereotypical beauty. Previously very common was plastic surgery to create double eyelids, then all manner of treatments to achieve whiter skin. Both obsessed over by many a Chinese woman, limb lengthening saw the men getting in on the act.
多年来，中国人以刻板印象的美丽为名，采取了极端的措施。以前很常见的是进行双眼皮整形手术，然后进行各种治疗以实现更白的皮肤。两者都受到许多中国女性的痴迷，而男性也加入了这一行列。
The fashion for osteotomy began in China when minimum heights began being specified in job advertisements and personals seeking the ideal suitor. In this case, however, a few centimeters gained today has resulted in the loss of many a kilometre walked tomorrow.
截骨术的流行始于中国，当时招聘广告和寻找理想追求者的个人开始规定最低身高。然而，在这种情况下，今天多走了几厘米，导致明天少走了很多公里。
