title: The use of prostheses in skeletally immature patients.
abstract: Prosthetic reconstruction in the skeletally immature patient is challenging because of the necessity to cope with expected disruption of limb growth after resection of one or more major growth plates and the high demands placed on implants by young patients. Although prosthetic reconstruction in children is fraught with many problems, it is usually possible to obtain a good functional limb at skeletal maturity. Extendable prostheses are readily acceptable to patients and their parents. The availability of noninvasive extendable prostheses is expected to lead to fewer complications, fewer surgical interventions, and even improved function. This article reviews the indication, evolution, and clinical and functional results of extendable endoprostheses, drawing from experience in the last 30 years of using such prostheses in children.
authors.affiliation: Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, UK. seggy.abudu@roh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Adesegun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abudu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grimer
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tillman
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery