A 15-year-old girl undergoes limb salvage surgery for distal femoral osteosarcoma. An expandable endoprosthesis is implanted. The primary advantage of this implant type in a skeletally immature patient is:
- A Superior osseointegration compared to cemented prostheses
- B Lower risk of infection than conventional implants
- C Non-invasive or minimally invasive lengthening to compensate for limb length discrepancy during growth ✓
- D Elimination of the need for physiotherapy postoperatively
Correct answer: C. Non-invasive or minimally invasive lengthening to compensate for limb length discrepancy during growth
Explanation
Expandable endoprostheses (e.g., Stanmore or MUTARS growing implants) can be lengthened percutaneously or non-invasively using a magnetic motor to match the growth of the contralateral limb, preventing progressive limb length discrepancy as the child matures. In skeletally immature patients, this avoids repeated surgical exchanges needed with fixed-length implants. They carry the same or higher infection risk and do not negate the need for physiotherapy.
Reference: Maheshwari Essential Orthopaedics, 6th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.