title: Threatened lower extremity in a neonate from a severely constricting amniotic band: a case for limb salvage after a 6-year functional follow-up.
abstract: A child presented at birth with a threatened lower limb from severe constriction band. Limb salvage was performed by emergency z-plasty reconstructions and subsequent sural nerve grafting to a fibrotic segmental deficit in the sciatic nerve. Follow-up over a 6-year period enables us to provide a favorable outlook with regard to functional use of the extremity and absence of chronic lymphedema, but she does have a significant limb length discrepancy. There is virtually no information on long-term functional outcome of such cases, although textbook teaching advises one to attempt emergency salvage of an extremity that is threatened by a severely constricting congenital amniotic band. Follow-up of our patient equips us with outcome information so that we can now better inform parents when once again faced with this problem in the neonate.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samra
authors.forename: Asaad H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Samra
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Netscher
mesh_terms: D000652:Amniotic Band Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index