amputation, removal of a limb from the body by surgery

asymmetry, when there is a noticeable difference in size between two parts of the body that are usually about the same size (e.g., hands, arms, legs).

atrophy, decrease in size and / or strength of tissue or an organ; also referred to as wasting or thinning

core decompression, a surgical procedure that involves drilling into the area of dead bone near the joint to reduce pressure and increase blood flow; sometimes a piece of healthy bone is inserted when the inner layer is removed

endoprosthesis, an artificial body part that is placed entirely inside your body (such as an artificial hip)

endocrinologist, a medical doctor (MD) who specializes in the glands in the body that produce hormones and who can diagnose and manage problems of gland/hormone function

exostosis (plural: exostoses), see osteochondroma

fibrosis, scarring and thickening of muscle tissue

gastroenterologist, a medical doctor (MD) who specializes in identifying and treating problems with the body’s gastrointestinal system which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and liver

growth plates, growth plates are areas at the ends of bones in children where new bone growth occurs adding length and width to the bones. Growth plates eventually harden into solid bone and the bones stop growing, usually around age 13 to 15 years for girls and 15 to 17 years for boys.

hypoplasia, underdevelopment of soft tissues, such as muscle or an organ

kyphosis, when the top of the spine curves forward excessively and gives the appearance of a “hunched” back

limb-lengthening procedure, a procedure that can reduce or correct the discrepancy in length between arms or legs while stretching the surrounding muscles and other soft tissues. This process can take six to nine months. The bone to be lengthened is cut and a lengthening device is surgically inserted; the two ends of bone are slowly separated using the lengthening device. This is done by the family who have been trained by the surgeon how to use the device. After the limb has reached the desired length, the body takes over and new bone begins to grow and fill the gap.

limb-salvage procedure, a procedure that helps save the limb by removing the part of the bone that is involved with the tumor. The bone is replaced with either a bone graft or a metal prosthesis. Another limb-salvage procedure, known as rotationplasty, spares part of the lower leg so that the ankle can be rotated and used as a knee; below it, a prosthetic lower leg is surgically attached.

orthopedic surgeon, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders involving the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles, and is specially trained to perform surgery

osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease of the joints that occurs when the cartilage that protects and cushions the end of bones wears down over time

osteochondroma (also known as an exostosis or a bone spur), a bony projection that may form where bones meet one another and can also grow on the bones of the spine. It usually does not require removal unless it causes pain or interferes with movement or bone growth.

osteonecrosis, the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply which can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and cause the bone to collapse (also called avascular necrosis (AVN) and ischemic necrosis). (see Figure 18-3)

osteopenia, a condition in which bone density is lower than normal and bones are beginning to thin and weaken. If not stopped, it can progress to osteoporosis

osteoporosis, a disease of the bones that occurs when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the loss of old bone. It causes the bone to lose density and to thin which make it weak, brittle, and more likely to break.

phantom pain, when a person feels sensations of pain in a missing or amputated limb even though the limb is no longer present

prosthesis, an artificial body part that replaces a body part that is missing or surgically removed

scoliosis, the sideways curvature of the spine caused by radiation to only one side of the spine. While the untreated side of the spine continues to grow, the treated side does not, instead curving in the direction of the growing side (see Figure 18-2).

slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), a hip disorder that occurs in some survivors whose hip was irradiated. This hip dysfunction is due to a damaged growth plate causing a slip between the thigh bone and the top of the femoral head.