About 30% of all malignant bone tumors occur in the distal femur and proximal tibia, and 70% of osteosarcomas, the commonest primary malignant bone tumor, occur around the knee joint 1 . In the last 30 years, with the progress and development of imaging techniques, combination therapy and surgical techniques, limb salvage surgery has gradually replaced amputation and become the primary surgical method for managing malignant bone tumors in the extremities. There are many reconstruction methods for bone defects after resection of malignant bone tumors around the knee joint, namely: (i) vascularized fibular grafts; (ii) osteoarticular allografts; (iii) inactivation and reimplantation; (iv) artificial prosthesis replacement; (v) allograft‐prosthesis compound reconstruction. The decision as to which reconstruction technique to use depends on the nature of the tumor, its anatomical site, extent of invasion, size of bone defect and clinical condition of the patient. The Massachusetts General Hospital has done extensive research on the application of massive bone allograft over a long period, and in 1996 reported 718 cases of bone allograft after resection of bone tumors in the extremities and reconstruction (including 386 cases of osteoarticular allograft). Their postoperative fracture rate was 19%, nonunion 17%, infection 11% and instability 6% 2 . In 2004, they reported the evolution of reconstruction techniques for limb salvage following resection of bone tumors during the eight years between 1996 to 2004: the number of artificial prosthesis reconstructions had increased by 40%, while bone allografts had decreased by 50% over the same period. These differences can be explained by the following: for bone allografts the non‐weight‐bearing period is longer and nonunion and infection rates higher; whereas artificial prosthesis reconstruction has the advantages of early weight‐bearing, good stability and few early complications 3 . Nowadays, artificial prosthesis reconstruction has become a common reconstruction method for bone defects after resection of malignant tumors around the knee joint.