Meet the World's Most Experienced Stature Surgery Team
Speaks English, French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian + 4 more
Dr. Dror Paley
Founder & Medical Director | Orthopedic SurgeonDr. Paley has spent nearly 40 years pioneering the field of limb lengthening for stature surgeries, and congenital bone deformities. He has personally performed more stature surgeries than any surgeon in the world, and his techniques are taught and used by surgeons internationally. Dr. Paley personally developed the protocol used for stature surgeries worldwide and was instrumental in the design and development of the PRECICE internal nail systems.
Speaks English
Dr. Craig Robbins
Orthopedic Surgeon | Stature SpecialistDr. Robbins was personally trained and mentored by Dr. Paley, and together they have performed thousands of stature surgeries over 12 years of partnership together. He brings the same protocol-driven, safety-first approach to every patient he treats.
Our Stature Team
Speaks English & Chinese
Angelique Keller, RN
International Program Manager for Stature LengtheningAngelique manages the Stature Lengthening program at the Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute. She coordinates all aspects of care for stature lengthening patients. She is the liaison between patients, surgeons, physician assistants, physical therapists and other members of the medical team helping patients navigate through the support services of the Institute. Angelique also assists patients with their housing and home healthcare needs. Angelique is a licensed registered nurse who has extensive working experience in the preoperative surgery environment.
Speaks English, French, Arabic & Amharic
Lina Kebede
Patient CoordinatorLina is a certified Medical Assistant who joined the Paley Institute in 2019. She coordinates all aspects of care for stature lengthening patients. She is the liaison between patients, surgeons, physician assistants, physical therapists and other members of the stature team. Lina helps patients navigate through the support services of the Institute. She also assists patients with their housing and home healthcare needs.
Speaks English & Spanish
Fran Guardo, DPT
Director of RehabilitationFran Guardo has worked in the field of movement science since 1985, first as an Exercise Scientist, and since 1999 as a Physical Therapist. She has worked in a myriad of settings and diagnoses across the lifespan. In 2009, she became the Director of Rehabilitation for the Paley Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute and had the opportunity to build the department from the ground up.
Why Experience Matters
Stature surgery is elective — you’re not fixing something broken. The only acceptable outcome is walking out with the same function you walked in with, just taller. That is the product of experience.
Every aspect of our stature protocols — from specialized reaming techniques during surgery, to the speed of lengthening, physical therapy routine, and recovery timeline — has been designed and refined to minimize risk of complications. In the rare event that complications do occur, in many cases Dr. Paley and Dr. Robbins are the only surgeons in the world who have treated it before and know how to ensure you get the best outcome.
When stature centers operate without the protocols and experience of the Paley Institute patients can end up with bad results or permanent disabilities. Unfortunately, we treat many of these patients to try and restore the function they never should have lost.
