New rationale in management of tibial agenesis type II: a maturity review of its functional, psychological, and economic value.

It is now 3 years since we published a new surgical approach to type II tibial agenesis. All three patients have reached the end of growth, and we have been able to conduct a maturity review of the functional, psychological, and economic value of this method of treatment. All three patients were very satisfied with the treatment they had received, although it was long and often arduous. We have attempted to compare the costs of primary amputation without complication in the first year of life, followed by supply of at least 10 prostheses, until age 18 years, with that of the reconstructive technique, which is liable to require five operations and considerable periods of inpatients and outpatient care until age of 18 years.