Congenital Skeletal Deficiencies of the Extremities

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Prosthetic treatment of bizarre congenital anomalies of the extremities in over 170 children was simplified by a classification based on the embryological somitic origin of the limb, well known to anatomists but heretofore ignored by clinicians. X-ray examination of the newborn allowed a plan of treatment which was reassuring to the distraught parents and which provided early, successful replacement of the involved extremity. Early acceptance of a prosthesis by the family and patient afforded a high degree of reestablishment of function. Improved artificial-limb construction techniques and materials, advanced occupational and physical therapy training methods, and utilization of basic surgical principles contributed to the 8-year study. The findings suggest that the classification scheme may aid materially in the discovery of the cause of congenital limb malformation.