[General aspects of hand surgery in childhood (author's transl)].

Good regeneration of tissue, easy adaptation and rapid nerve regeneration are all favourable factors of hand surgery in infants and children. On the other hand, unfavourable factors include diagnostic difficulties, especially following early trauma and the absence of co-operation, as well as late damage due to growth retardation. Indications for surgery include malformation, accident, burns, infections, and rarely tumours, and treatment should as far as possible, be delayed until preschool age. Accurate operative technique and careful planning of surgery are essential. Post-operative fixation and bandaging is equally important but even in the paediatric surgery group good results can be achieved.