Background and ObjectivesIn a previous conducted study functional outcome of young patients with bone sarcoma located around the knee was longitudinally evaluated during the first 2 years postoperatively. Functional outcome improved significantly over the first 2 years. The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the functional outcome of these patients at long‐term follow‐up of 7 years.MethodsFunctional outcome was assessed with the TESS, MSTS, Baecke questionnaire, and three functional performance tests: time up and down stairs (TUDS), various walking activities (VWA), and the 6‐min walking test (6MWT). Linear Mixed Model has been employed for the repeated measurements.ResultsTwenty patients of the original study (n = 44) participated in the current study. Fifteen limb‐salvage and five ablative surgery patients, median follow‐up 7.4 years (6.8‐8.0) (CI 95%), mean age 22.3 years (18.2‐31.6). Between 2 and 7 years after surgery, 8 limb‐salvage patients (53%) encountered surgery related complications. Questionnaires and functional performance tests showed no significant difference in functional outcome between 2 years and 7 years after surgery (P < 0.05).ConclusionsBetween 2 years and follow‐up at average 7 years after surgery no further improvements were noticed at young patients with a bone sarcoma located around the knee.

It remains unclear if quality of life (QoL) improvements could be expected in young patients after malignant bone tumour surgery after 2 years. To assess the course of QoL over time during a long-term follow-up, malignant bone tumour survivors of a previous short-term study were included. Assessments were done at least 5 years patients; 20 patients were included for this study, 10 males; mean age at surgery 15.1 years and mean follow-up 7.2 years. Twenty-one patients of the initial cohort (47%) deceased. Fifteen patients (75%) underwent limb-salvage and five (25%) ablative surgery. QoL improved significantly during follow-up at Physical Component Summary Scale scale of the SF-36 and TAAQOL and all subscales of the Bt-DUX (p < .01). No significant differences were found between current evaluations and previous evaluations at 2 years after surgery (p = .41-.98). Significant advantages after limb-salvage were seen at the PCS scale of the SF-36 (MD 13.7, p = .05) and the cosmetic scale of the Bt-DUX (MD 17.7, p = .04). K E Y W O R D Sadolescents, children, leg, malignant bone tumour, prospective, quality of life Wang, & Bi, 2012; Hinds et al., 2009;Koopman et al., 2005;Liu et al., 2014). Therefore, we evaluated a few years ago QoL levels at six time points of a cohort of children and adolescents under the age of 25 after malignant bone tumour surgery of the lower limb. In this previous study, improvements of QoL levels were reported from surgery up to 24 months thereafter and were most pronounced and significant over the first year after the surgery. Over the second year improvements became smaller and the differences between QoL scores at 1 and 2 years after surgery were mostly non-significant . However, QoL scores still differed from scores of healthy peers and it remains unclear if further improvements could be expected after this period. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the course of QoL over time between 2 and 5 years or more after surgery. | MATERIALS AND METHODS | Study design and patient recruitmentThe study had a prospective and multi-centre design. All consecutive patients who underwent a surgical intervention due to a bone sarcoma around the knee joint in one of three university medical cen- | Assessment methodsAssessments included; questionnaires concerning QoL which were sent by post and an interview with the investigators (PB and JvE).Patients' baseline socio-demographic (Table 1)

Purpose: After surgery for congenital heart disease in children and adolescents, an active lifestyle is important to achieve and maintain good physical fitness. This study aimed to describe physical activity, as well as the use of patients' and parents' preferences for rehabilitative care after surgery for congenital heart disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients aged 4-16 years old, who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease 2 years prior to the study onset. Patients and/or parents were invited to complete questionnaires on physical activity, and on their preferences for, and -use of, rehabilitative care after surgery. Results: Forty-five of the 92 eligible patients and/or parents completed the questionnaires. The median age of the children was 12.2 years (IQR 7.8-16.1). Two children (4%) met the recommendations for taking part in moderate physical activity and 13 (29%) having done so for vigorous physical activity. Postoperatively 15 children (33%) had had physical therapy in primary care. More than 50% of the patients/parents would have preferred to have had more information on physical activity and to have taken part in an individual exercise program delivered during their primary care. Conclusion:The majority of eligible patients do not meet public health recommendations for engaging in physical activity and do not use physical therapy after surgery for congenital heart disease. The majority of patients and parents preferred more information as well as individual physical therapy treatments. ä IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONSTwo years after surgery for congenital heart disease children and adolescents are less active compared to typically developing peers. Patients with a congenital heart disease and their parents need more information and support regarding stimulation of physical activity and physical fitness after heart surgery. In the postoperative process, a well-structured and supportive (individual) rehabilitation program should be introduced to improve physical activity and physical fitness.

The final Dutch PODCI had good measurement properties and appears useful in evaluating quality of life and functioning in children with NBPP.

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