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Percutaneous osseointegrated implant surgery without skin thinning in children: a retrospective case review
Aviya Lanis1, Malou Hultcrantz
1Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Insights
Omitting skin thinning in pediatric percutaneous osseointegrated implantation surgery reduces complications and healing time. This modified technique offers improved outcomes and cosmetic appeal for children undergoing osseointegration.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric surgery
- Biomaterials science
- Orthopedic surgery
Background:
- Percutaneous osseointegrated implantation is a surgical technique used to anchor prosthetics.
- Skin thinning is a traditional step in this procedure, potentially causing complications.
- Evaluating modifications to this technique is crucial for pediatric patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the follow-up status of osseointegration in children.
- To compare the efficacy of percutaneous osseointegrated implantation with and without skin thinning in pediatric patients.
- To determine if omitting skin thinning offers benefits for children.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective case review of 34 children undergoing percutaneous osseointegrated implantation.
- Patients were divided into two groups: traditional skin thinning versus no skin thinning.
- Outcomes assessed included inflammation, infection, surgical time, healing time, and complications.
Main Results:
- The group without skin thinning experienced fewer complications, shorter surgical and healing times, and improved cosmetic results.
- No numbness was reported in the group that did not undergo skin thinning.
- The modified technique demonstrated favorable outcomes compared to traditional skin thinning.
Conclusions:
- Percutaneous osseointegrated implantation without skin thinning is beneficial for children.
- This technique, successful in adults, shows promise for pediatric applications.
- Omitting skin thinning simplifies the procedure and enhances patient outcomes.
Objective:
To determine the follow-up status of osseointegration in children and to see if the omission of skin thinning in percutaneous osseointegrated implant surgery can be beneficial for children, 2 groups of children who underwent surgery with and without skin thinning were compared.
Study Design:
This was a single-center, retrospective case review at a university hospital designed to assess the outcome of a new technique for percutaneous osseointegrated implantation in children.
Material:
Thirty-four children who had undergone implantation from 2001 to 2012 were included in the study. The 2 groups were divided according to whether skin thinning was used.
Methods:
Percutaneous osseointegrated implantation was performed in 1- or 2-step surgeries on patients under general anesthesia. Twenty-three patients were operated with traditional skin thinning and with a 5.5- mm long abutment, 10 patients were operated without thinning and with a 6-, 8.5-, or 9-mm-long abutment, and 1 patient was lost. Primary points of interest were clinical signs and symptoms of inflammation or infection at the site of skin penetration, time required for surgery, healing time, and any additional complications experienced by the patients.
Results:
The group of children who underwent surgery without thinning and with shorter follow-up time experienced fewer complications, shorter time for surgery, minimized healing time, no numbness, and improved cosmetic appeal in comparison with the group that underwent the traditional skin thinning procedure.
Conclusion:
The percutaneous osseointegrated implantation technique without skin thinning that has recently been implemented in adults is also beneficial for children.
