Pediatric upper extremity replantation

Abstract

The evolution of microsurgical technique has led to increasing success with pediatric replantation. The broader inclusion criteria for pediatric replantation, together with the greater technical demands of repair and the less favorable mechanism of pediatric amputations (crush-avulsion), yield a slightly lower overall survival rate than in adults. The superior nerve and soft tissue regenerative capacity of children appears to produce better functional outcomes. Nonetheless, the issue of cosmesis and developing self-image in a child may have ramifications beyond a simple calculus of range of motion and strength variables--hence the imperative that microsurgical salvage be attempted in pediatric upper-extremity amputations.