title: Vascularized epiphyseal transplant.
abstract: In skeletally immature patients, the transfer of vascularized epiphysis along with a variable amount of adjoining diaphysis may provide the potential for growth of such a graft, preventing future limb length discrepancy. This article describes the authors' experience with the vascularized transfer of the proximal fibular epiphysis in the reconstruction of large bone defects including the epiphysis in a series of 27 patients ranging in age from 2 to 11 years. The follow-up, ranging from 2 to 14 years, has been long enough to allow some evaluation of the validity, indications, and limits of this reconstructive option.
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Unit, Department of Orthopaedics, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Careggi, Largo Palagi 1, Firenze 50139, Italy. m.innocenti@agora.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Innocenti
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delcroix
authors.forename: G Federico
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capanna
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery*; D005360:Fibula / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011884:Radius / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome