UK Boy Becomes First to Have Surgery to Make Him Taller

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A nine-year-old boy has become the first person in the UK to undergo a pioneering surgical procedure designed to make him taller, in a breakthrough many experts hope will transform treatment for children with certain growth conditions. The operation was carried out at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where specialists used an innovative magnetic technique to lengthen his leg and improve his mobility.

The boy, named Alfie Phillips, of Northampton, was born with fibular hemimelia, a rare congenital disorder that prevented his right leg from developing properly and left it significantly shorter than his left. This difference was projected to increase as he grew, potentially affecting his balance and physical activity. Previous treatments offered limited success and often involved painful external frames attached to the limb.

In March 2025, surgeons implanted a magnetic lengthening nail on the surface of Alfie’s thigh bone. Over several weeks, the device was gradually extended by placing a magnetic tool on the leg, gently pulling apart the cut bone ends at about 1 millimetre per day. New bone naturally formed in the gap, resulting in Alfie gaining around 3 centimetres in leg length — enough to reduce the discrepancy and help him walk, run and play more comfortably.

The technique, adapted from procedures previously used only in adults, minimizes the pain and risks associated with traditional external fixators, such as infection and scarring, because the lengthening nail sits on the bone’s surface rather than requiring external hardware. Surgeons say it represents a major advancement in treating children with similar conditions, and it has since been used on three other young patients at the hospital.

Alfie said he felt “excited” and now enjoys playing basketball and running around with his friends, activities that had been harder before the surgery. His remarkable recovery — often needing only standard pain relief — has been described by his doctors as an encouraging sign of how the new method can improve quality of life for children born with leg-length discrepancies.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Nick Peterson has highlighted that being able to lengthen bones internally while avoiding growth plate damage was previously not possible for younger patients, making Alfie’s case a landmark in paediatric orthopaedic care. The success may pave the way for wider adoption of the technique across the UK, bringing hope to families facing similar challenges.

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