Advantage of the regenerative potentials of the periosteum especially in children, Oghara experience: A case series

The periosteum is a composite tissue comprising an outer protective fibrovascular layer and an inner cambium regenerative pluripotent layer. The regenerative function of periosteum has been put to clinical use by dental surgeons to manage alveolar ridge reduction and by tissue engineers to produce autologous micrograft and collagen used to manage complex wounds and scars. The essence of this study is to add to the body of knowledge on clinical use of periosteum to treat bone defects from the orthopaedic perspective. We highlight a case series to demonstrate the use of periosteum in managing bone defects caused by benign bone tumour, chronic osteomyelitis, tibial hemimelia and traumatic bone loss of the distal tibia in Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara. Treatment of bone defects by this means is cost effective and the outcome is very satisfactory. Key words:  Periosteum, mesenchymal stem cells, bone defects, distraction histiogenesis.