Microsurgery in pediatric upper limb reconstructions: An overview

J Child Orthop. 2022 Aug;16(4):241-255. doi: 10.1177/18632521221106390. Epub 2022 Aug 2.

Abstract

The use of microsurgery has spread during the last decades, making resolvable many complex defects considered hitherto inapproachable. Although the small vessel diameter in children was initially considered a technical limitation, the increase in microsurgical expertise over the past three decades allowed us to manage many pediatric conditions by means of free tissue transfers. Pediatric microsurgery has been shown to be feasible, gaining a prominent place in the treatment of children affected by limb malformations, tumors, nerve injuries, and post-traumatic defects. The aim of this current concepts review is to describe the more frequent pediatric upper limb conditions in which the use of microsurgical reconstructions should be considered in the range of treatment options.

Keywords: Pediatric microsurgery; brachial plexus palsy; congenital hand; upper limb.

Publication types

  • Review