Advanced Limb Reconstruction

What is Advanced Limb Reconstruction?

Advanced limb reconstruction is a surgical discipline that saves the limbs of patients in a condition that will lead to severe disability or amputation if left untreated. Upper limbs, also called extremities, extend from the shoulder to the fingers, while the lower extremity extends from the pelvic bone to the toes. The term reconstruction implies constructing again and restoring the functions. Based on these explanations, a limb that has lost both the anatomic structure and the function is constructed into a form that functions wells and can be properly used.

When is Advanced Limb Reconstruction Needed?

It is required as baseline treatment especially in congenital skeletal abnormalities and tumor surgery, but it is also needed for treatment of complications in nonunion, osteomyeliyis, shortness and abnormal curves. It is indicated in conditions that cannot be managed with conventional orthopedic surgery techniques and that can lead to disability or amputation. The advanced limb reconstruction is characterized with planning appropriate technique according to patient’s body and the condition.

How Can Activities of Daily Life be Resumed after the Advanced Limb Reconstruction?

Patients can resume routine daily life approximately 1-2 day(s) after the advanced limb reconstruction. Since all materials manufactured for the techniques used in the advanced limb reconstruction can carry high loads, the patients can be mobilized very soon after the surgery. Thus, the patient can walk, fulfills daily needs and returns to the social life.

What is the success rate of the Advanced Limb Reconstruction?

Today, the success rate of the advanced limb reconstruction is above 80% in conditions that will lead to the loss of the limb (amputation) almost by 100 percent. The major factor that affects the success of the treatment is to plan and perform the best treatment for the body of each patient.

Advanced Limb Reconstruction helps following conditions:

• Congenital deformities and shortness
• Extremity deformities and short stature in childhood
• Deformities and shortness secondary to malunion
• Pseudoarthrosis and infected non-union
• Osteomyelitis and infection following total arthroplasty
• Complications of orthopedic oncologic surgeries: Non-union, bone loss, infection, shortness
• Dwarfism, achondroplasia and lengthening
• Cosmetic lengthening