Bone growth and the development of epiphyseal plates are disturbed aft
er the replantation of amputated extremities in children, but the pote
ntial for continued skeletal growth is almost always maintained in the
replanted part. In this reported series of 12 children, all younger t
han 15 years old, 13 amputated parts of the upper limb have been succe
ssfully replanted. After long-term follow-up (from 21 to 216 months),
bone growth of the replanted parts was clinically and radiologically e
valuated. Two different growing segments were distinguished: the proxi
mal bone segment, directly injured from the initial trauma, and the di
stal replanted part. Average longitudinal growth recorded was 94.5 per
cent and 92.7 percent, respectively. Two young patients demonstrated o
vergrowth of the proximal bone segment, which attained 110 percent and
118 percent of expected growth. Although it is difficult to determine
all the parameters affecting the prognosis of post-traumatic reaction
s in growing cartilaginous plates, the level of amputation is consider
ed to be a significant prognostic factor for the epiphyseal growth of
the replanted part.