We used contemporary methods, including early surgical intervention
(usually amputation) and prosthetic rehabilitation, to treat tibial or
fibular hemimelia in thirty-three patients (forty-four limbs); twenty-four
patients (twenty-nine limbs) had adequate follow-up, and their cases are
reported here. After an average length of follow-up of sixteen years, all
except two of the patients had an excellent or a good result. No patient
had migration of the heel pad or a slough or infection of the skin, and
only one patient needed a second operation. The Brown procedure was done on
three limbs (two patients), but it always had to be supplemented by a
corrective operation. We concluded that early surgical treatment and
prosthetic rehabilitation yield an excellent result, not only for the short
term but also for the long term.