Resection Of Bone Sarcomas Research Articles

What's New in Musculoskeletal Tumor Surgery.

What's New in Musculoskeletal Tumor Surgery.

Patient survival after surgical resection of pelvic bone sarcomas: A nationwide cohort study

Background: Pelvic bone sarcomas are extremely rare malignant tumours. Patients require a multidisciplinary approach to plan the treatment and complex surgical resections and limb-sparing reconstructions associated with complications, revisions, and functional limitations. The presented nationwide study in the Republic of Slovenia aims to analyse the oncological survival and functional outcomes of patients after primary resection of pelvic bone sarcomas.
 Methods: The retrospective observational cohort included 21 consecutive patients who underwent limb-sparing pelvic resection at a specialized orthopaedic oncology centre in the Republic of Slovenia between 2004-2022. Patient survival, complication rates, and functional outcomes were analysed according to to the primary diagnosis.
 Results: Wide margins with R0 resection were achieved in 16 (76%) cases. After a median follow-up of 5.7 (0.6-18.1) years, 7 (33%) patients died of oncological disease, 3 (14%) patients were alive with oncological disease, and 11 (53%) patients were alive with no evidence of disease. The estimated Kaplan-Meier survival probability at 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years after pelvic resection was 85%, 73%, and 45%, respectively. The major complication rate was 29%. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumour Society Score was 17.5 (range 2-29).
 Conclusions: Patient survival after resection of pelvic bone sarcomas in Slovenia between 2004-2022 is comparable to previously published reports of European and North American countries. Wide resection of tumours with reconstruction provides a relatively good survival rate, although complications are common and functional outcomes are often poor.

Intermediate-term results and risk factors analysis of tumor endoprosthesis in paediatric patients after the resection of lower extremity bone sarcoma.

Mechanical failure of the endoprostheses is a concern in paediatric patients with primary bone sarcoma. Their long-term results are variable in the Asian population, thus we aim to investigate the outcome by assessing the mechanical failure, its risk factors and the functional results. We retrospectively reviewed 38 paediatric patients (mean 13.29, range 6-18) with primary bone sarcoma of lower extremity undergone chemotherapy and limb salvage surgery with tumor endoprosthesis between 2003 and 2016. All hospital notes were reviewed for any type of failures. Risk factors for implant loosening like stem size, remaining bone length, stem length, extracortical bone bridge ingrowth (EBBI), the ratio of resected bone length to whole bone length, bone stem ratio and custom-made versus modular were analyzed. The limb function was recorded by Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score. Median follow-up time was 7.42years (3.0-15.4years) and minimum follow-up for surviving patients was 2years. Endoprosthesis survivorship, according to Kaplan Meier was 94.7%, 85.4% and 66.2% at 2, 5 and 10years respectively. Type II failure occurred in three patients (7.9%). Type III failure occurred in four patients (10.5%). Type IV failure occured in two patients (5.2%). Only EBBI independently predicted implant loosening (p = .007). Risk factors like stem size, remaining bone length, stem length, the ratio of resected bone length to whole bone length and custom-made versus modular were not associated with increase in implant loosening (p > .05). The mean stem size was 9.41mm in asymptomatic group, comparable with 9.22mm in the failure group (p = .79). The MSTS score was 29.62. Our data suggests that paediatric Chinese patients with small body built had good and excellent mid-term results in implant survival and limb function respectively. EBBI is important in preventing loosening in tumor endoprosthesis. In contrast to the reported higher failure risk with stem size <12mm, we found no increased loosening rate with smaller stem size endoprosthesis. Class III.

What Is the Long-term Survivorship of Primary and Revision Cemented Distal Femoral Replacements for Limb Salvage of Patients With Sarcoma?

What Is the Long-term Survivorship of Primary and Revision Cemented Distal Femoral Replacements for Limb Salvage of Patients With Sarcoma?

Work ability and physical activity after major bone sarcoma resection and reconstruction with tumour prosthesis of the lower extremities. A cross-sectional study

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate work ability, activity limitations and physical activity in adults that had gone through major bone sarcoma resection and reconstruction surgery in hip and knee. Materials and methods Twenty patients, of 72 enrolled, and 20 controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Work Ability Index scores (general [0–10 points], physical and mental [1–5 points]), the Patient Specific Functional Scale (0–10 points), step counts and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were assessed. Adjusted and unadjusted general linear models were applied. Results The patients had a mean age of 43 (range, 20–71) years and were assessed 7 years (range, 2–12) after surgery (proximal femoral n = 9, distal femoral n = 7, proximal tibia n = 4). Compared with controls, patients had lower general work ability (mean difference [95%CI], −1.3 points [−2.1, −0.5]) and work ability in relation to physical demands at work (−1.4 points [−2.0, −0.8]). The patients reported higher severities of activity limitation (−6.7 points [−7.9, −5.4]). There were no between-group differences in step counts or IPAQ-scores. Conclusion Despite similar levels of physical activity, patients showed poorer work ability and severe activity limitation. Post-operative rehabilitation in patients of the working-age population should include assessments of work ability and activities important to the individual. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Adults that have gone through resection and reconstruction surgery following bone sarcoma in lower extremity show clinically relevant reductions in work ability and self-selected activities To tailor post-operative rehabilitation at short and long term, initial assessment and monitoring should include work ability and activities important to the individual patient.

Intercalary tibial reconstruction with frozen tumor-bearing autograft in combination with ipsilateral fibula in limb-salvage surgery

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the results of a reconstruction using frozen autograft in combination with vascularized fibula are comparable to other reconstructive methods in limb-salvage surgery for tibial sarcoma with regard to the functional outcome and complications. Between 2008 and 2012, nine patients with bone sarcoma of the tibia underwent excision of the affected segment that was then frozen and reimplanted with an ipsilateral vascularized fibular graft within it. Patients were examined clinically and radiographically. The mean follow-up was 48.8 months. The mean time to full weight-bearing was 6.2 months and to complete radiological union 6.8 months at the conjunction. One patient required a mid-thigh amputation due to local recurrence in soft tissue. No local recurrence arising from the frozen autograft was detected. Complications included wound dehiscence in 1, clawed toes in 1, temporary peroneal nerve palsy in 1, and stress fracture in 1. The average musculoskeletal tumor society functional score was 94.5%. Combination of a frozen tumor-bearing autograft and ipsilateral pedicled fibula is an effective reconstruction for massive bone defect arising from resection of bone sarcoma in tibia. This approach has the advantage of combining the biological properties offered by the vascularized bone graft with the mechanical endurance of the frozen autograft. The method is best indicated for intercalary defects of the tibia for selected patients. Level IV, therapeutic study.

Fever and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome After Wide Resection of Pediatric Bone Sarcomas.

While postoperative fever is common and thought to be physiological, data is limited in pediatric patients with bone sarcomas. Understanding the predictive value of postoperative fever and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in this population is essential to guide further workup and avoid delays in adjuvant therapy. The aim of this study is to characterize the prevalence of postoperative fever and SIRS in pediatric patients undergoing wide resection of bone sarcomas and to determine whether these signs are associated with wound or infectious complications. A retrospective chart review of cases performed by a single surgeon between January 2018 and December 2020 was performed. Twenty-two patients were identified. All patients had pathology-confirmed diagnoses of osteosarcoma (77.3%) or Ewing sarcoma (22.7%). Before discharge, 68.2% developed a fever >38°C and 90.9% met SIRS criteria. The rate of wound and infectious complications during the first 6 weeks after surgery was 27.3%. The positive predictive values (PPV) of fever and SIRS were low at 26.7% and 31.0% respectively. No association between complications and fever [dds ratio (OR): 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12-6.72] or SIRS (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 0.78-46.14) was identified. High fever >39°C had a better PPV of 50.0%. However, the association between high fever and complications did not reach significance (OR: 6.00, 95% CI: 0.78-46.14). Age, tumor size, days from chemo to surgery, duration of surgery, estimated blood loss, number of packed red blood cells units transfused, and length of stay were not associated with the development of postoperative fever or complications. Pediatric patients undergoing wide resection of bone sarcomas frequently mount a robust SIRS response after surgery. However, fever and SIRS are both poor predictors of infection and wound complications. Patients with postoperative fever or SIRS should not undergo an extensive infectious workup unless there are clear signs or symptoms to suggest an infectious etiology. Level II-prognostic retrospective study.

A novel intraoperative method to project osteotomy lines for accurate resection of primary bone sarcomas

BackgroundAccurate reproduction of a preoperative plan is critical in wide resection of bone sarcomas. Recent advances in computer navigation and 3D-custom jigs have increased resection accuracy, although with certain practical drawbacks. MethodsWe developed a novel “projector method” that projects the preoperative osteotomy lines onto the bone. A sawbone study was conducted to evaluate accuracy in reproducing preoperative resection plans. An additional cadaver experiment was conducted to evaluate feasibility in a more realistic operating room setting. ResultsBased on the results of experiments conducted on sawbones, the proposed light projector method was more accurate at depicting desired osteotomy lines than a traditional manual method, reducing the corner deviation from 2.53 mm to 0.35 mm, angular deviation from 2.10° to 0.31°, and point deviation from 4.66 mm to 0.48 mm (p < 0.001). Results of the cadaver experiment were consistent with those of sawbone experiments. ConclusionsThe new projector method can accurately assist surgeons in visualizing the preoperative plan of osteotomy lines accurately in surgery.

The safe surgical margin in Ewing’s sarcoma

IntroductionThere is recent evidence advocating the use of post-chemotherapy MRI for safe resection of primary bone sarcoma in providing a clear margin of disease. This paper challenges this view by providing evidence obtained from comparing surgical resection margin measurements calculated off the pre- and post-chemotherapy MRIs to the post-operative histological analysis. MethodA retrospective patho-radiological analysis of 10 patients treated for long bone Ewing's sarcoma. The pre- and post-chemotherapy MRI radiological measurements were correlated with the post-operative gross and microscopic histological specimens with the principle aim of determining which represented the accurate histological extent of disease and therefore which image set should be used in determining the surgical resection margins. ResultsIn the 10 cases there was a discrepancy in the extent of pathological disease on comparative histological and radiological assessment. The mean age at presentation was 19.5years [4–45 years], with a female bias (n = 7/10). The lower limbs were more commonly involved than the upper limb (femur n = 2/10, tibia n = 3/10, fibula n = 2/10, humerus n = 2/10, ulna n = 1/10). There was no correlation between the percentage reduction in measured volume/length of pathological bone on sequential MRI and the percentage necrosis on histology. The average discrepancy between the length of pathological bone on histology and on MRI was 2.7 cm. Using the baseline pre-chemotherapy MRI to plan the surgical resection margins, 7/10 patients had their surgical resection margins through radiologically clear but pathologically abnormal bone (without histological evidence of residual tumour). Had the post-chemotherapy MRI been used a further 3 patients would have had their tumour resected through pathologically abnormal bone. No patients had or would have had tumour resected through residual tumour. ConclusionsThe use of the post-chemotherapy MRI for planning surgical resection margins increases the risk of resecting through histologically abnormal bone that may have been previously contaminated by tumour, without significant benefit of preserving sufficient bone to facilitate joint or physeal sparing surgery. The evidence from this study supports current guidelines recommending the use of pre-chemotherapy MRI to plan safe surgical resection margins in Ewing's sarcoma.

A novel method of light projection and modular jigs to improve accuracy in bone sarcoma resection.

We developed a novel method using a combined light-registration/light-projection system along with an off-the-shelf, instant-assembly modular jig construct that could help surgeons improve bone resection accuracy during sarcoma surgery without many of the associated drawbacks of 3D printed custom jigs or computer navigation. In the novel method, the surgeon uses a light projection system to precisely align the assembled modular jig construct on the bone. In a distal femur resection model, 36 sawbones were evenly divided into 3 groups: manual-resection (MR), conventional 3D-printed custom jig resection (3DCJ), and the novel projector/modular jig (PMJ) resection. In addition to sawbones, a single cadaver experiment was also conducted to confirm feasibility of the PMJ method in a realistic operative setting. The PMJ method improved resection accuracy when compared to MR and 3DCJ, respectively: 0.98 mm versus 7.48 mm (p < 0.001) and 3.72 mm (p < 0.001) in mean corner position error; 1.66 mm versus 9.70 mm (p < 0.001) and 4.32 mm (p = 0.060) in mean maximum deviation error; 0.79°-4.78° (p < 0.001) and 1.26° (p > 0.999) in mean depth angle error. The PMJ method reduced the mean front angle error from 1.72° to 1.07° (p = 0.507) when compared to MR but was slightly worse compared to 0.61° (p = 0.013) in 3DCJ. The PMJ method never showed an error greater than 3 mm, while the maximum error of other two control groups were almost 14 mm. Similar accuracy was found with the PMJ method on the cadaver. A novel method using a light projector with modular jigs can achieve high levels of bone resection accuracy, but without many of the associated drawbacks of 3D printed jigs or computer navigation technology.

3D-Printed Cutting Guides for Resection of Long Bone Sarcoma and Intercalary Allograft Reconstruction.

The use of 3-dimensional (3D)-printed cutting guides for resection of long bone sarcoma is a novel technique. These 3D-printed guides provide a potential benefit over navigational or freehand osteotomy. We evaluated whether the use of 3D-printed cutting guides in the resection of long bone sarcoma affects margin status and rates of union compared with historical controls. In this study, we performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained surgical database and reviewed 6 patients who underwent limb salvage for long bone sarcoma. We collected and analyzed clinicopathologic and surgical data. Six (100%) cases recorded negative margins, with mean postoperative follow-up of 108 weeks (range, 8-211 weeks). Time (mean±SD) to bony union was 20.5±10.5 weeks. Nine of 12 (75%) cumulative (proximal and distal) osteotomy sites went on to achieve union, with a nonunion rate of 25% per osteotomy. One (33%) nonunion occurred after adjuvant radiation therapy. Long-term complications were limited to 2 (33.3%) patients overall who had implant failure according to the Henderson classification system, and there were zero local recurrences at the conclusion of the study. Our institution has successfully performed limb salvage surgery with patient-specific 3D-printed technology. We show high rates of negative margin resection and junctional union that align with and improve on earlier findings. [Orthopedics. 2022;45(1):e35-e41.].

Surgical outcomes of bone sarcoma of the foot.

Limb-salvage following resection of bone sarcomas of the foot are challenging due to the complicated anatomy, adjacent neurovascular structures and few durable reconstruction options. We retrospectively analysed 50 patients with primary malignant bone sarcoma of the foot who underwent surgery including chondrosarcoma (n=23), Ewing's sarcoma (n=14) and osteosarcoma (n=13). Median follow-up was 68months. The primary sites were metatarsal (n=18), phalanges (n=15), calcaneus (n=13) and others (n=4). The 5-year disease-specific survivals were 100, 83 and 83% in chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma and osteosarcoma, respectively. Below knee amputation, ray/toe amputation, excision and curettage were performed in 21, 24, 2 and 3 patients, respectively. Below knee amputation was performed in 94% of mid/hindfoot tumours. Surgical margins were wide/radical, marginal and intralesional margin in 42, 5 and 3 patients. Three patients (6%) developed local recurrence, whereas, local recurrence was not observed in patients with wide/radical margins. Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients (6%; surgical site infection n=2 and delayed wound healing n=1). Mean MSTS functional score was 26 points (range, 19-30). Good local control was achieved with acceptable functional outcomes and post-operative complications; almost all mid/hindfoot tumours required below knee amputation achieving wide/radical margins without local recurrence.

Resurfaced allograft-prosthetic composite for distal femur reconstruction in children with bone tumor.

Reconstruction of the distal femur in children following resection of bone sarcoma is challenging. The main problem in children is the small size of bone and a possible limb-length discrepancy at the end of skeletal growth secondary to the loss of the physes. We reported the results of a new surgical technique for distal femur reconstruction after bone tumor resection in children. We analyzed 5 patients with distal femoral sarcomas who underwent intra-articular resection and reconstruction with resurfaced allograft-prosthetic composite at a mean follow-up of 70 months. There were 2 males and 3 females, with a mean age of 10 years (range 8-12) at the time of the diagnosis. All patients were affected by high-grade osteosarcoma. The patients' medical records were reviewed for clinical and functional outcomes as well as post-operative complications. The functional evaluation of the patients was done at the end of the follow-up using Musculoskeletal Tumor Society scoring system. The minimal follow-up was 24 months. At the last follow-up, 4 patients were continuously disease-free. We excluded one patient who died of disease secondary to lung metastases 16 months after the surgery. Complications occurred in 2 of 4 patients at 17 months and 24 months, respectively. One patient developed deep infection who required the removal of the original reconstruction and, once the infection was treated, the patient underwent reconstruction with an expandable prosthesis. An allograft fracture occurred in another of the 4 patients at 24 months after the first surgery, thus the original reconstruction was removed and the patient underwent reconstruction with modular prosthesis. In the two patients who retained the original reconstruction at the time of their latest follow-up, the mean implant survival time was 70 months. These patients had an excellent MSTS score (29.5 points) and walked without support or limitations with an active knee range of motion of > 90° and complete active extension of the knee. No degenerative changes of the articular surface of the proximal tibia and the patella were observed at the time of the last follow-up. Growth of the physis of the proximal tibia was observed in all the patients during follow-up and no angular deformity of the joint was observed. The limb discrepancy was 4 cm and 2 cm, respectively. Resurfaced allograft-prosthetic composite may represent an alternative surgical technique for distal femur reconstruction in children with bone sarcomas. Although its success is limited by high risk of complications, resurfaced allograft-prosthetic composite seems to be a viable option to preserve the bone stock and the physis of the proximal tibia in selected young patients, minimizing a potential limb-length discrepancy at the end of the skeletal growth.

Limb-salvage reconstruction following resection of pelvic bone sarcomas involving the acetabulum.

Limb salvage for pelvic sarcomas involving the acetabulum is a major surgical challenge. There remains no consensus about what is the optimum type of reconstruction after resection of the tumour. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcomes in these patients according to the methods of periacetabular reconstruction. The study involved a consecutive series of 122 patients with a periacetabular bone sarcoma who underwent limb-salvage surgery involving a custom-made prosthesis in 65 (53%), an ice-cream cone prosthesis in 21 (17%), an extracorporeal irradiated autograft in 18 (15%), and nonskeletal reconstruction in 18 (15%). The rates of major complications necessitating further surgery were 62%, 24%, 56%, and 17% for custom-made prostheses, ice-cream cone prostheses, irradiated autografts and nonskeletal reconstructions, respectively (p = 0.001). The ten-year cumulative incidence of failure of the reconstruction was 19%, 9%, 33%, and 0%, respectively. The major cause of failure was deep infection (11%), followed by local recurrence (6%). The mean functional Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) scores were 59%, 74%, 64%, and 72%, respectively. The scores were significantly lower in patients with major complications than in those without complications (mean 52% (SD 20%) vs 74% (SD 19%); p < 0.001). For periacetabular resections involving the ilium, the mean score was the highest with custom-made prostheses (82% (SD 10%)) in patients without any major complication; however, nonskeletal reconstruction resulted in the highest mean scores (78% (SD 12%)) in patients who had major complications. For periacetabular resections not involving the ilium, significantly higher mean scores were obtained with ice-cream cone prostheses (79% (SD 17%); p = 0.031). Functional outcome following periacetabular reconstruction is closely associated with the occurrence of complications requiring further surgery. For tumours treated with periacetabular and iliac resection, skeletal reconstruction may result in the best outcomes in the absence of complications, whereas nonskeletal reconstruction is a reasonable option if the risk of complications is high. For tumours requiring periacetabular resection without the ilium, reconstruction using an ice-cream cone prosthesis supported by antibiotic-laden cement is a reliable option. Cite this article: Bone Joint J2021;103-B(4):795-803.

Prediction of soft tissue coverage following distal femur bone sarcoma resection: A preliminary report.

We aimed to examine the predictability of the need for soft tissue reconstruction during limb-sparing surgery through preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients diagnosed with a malignant bone tumor in the distal femur. The study included 42 patients who were operated for a bone sarcoma of the distal femur at our clinic between 2016 and 2018. The recorded parameters included the demographic characteristics of the patients, tumor diagnosis, tumor side, total tumor volume, tumor soft tissue component volume, tumor soft tissue component volume-to-total tumor volume ratio, tumor localization by MR imaging, the need for soft tissue reconstruction, the muscles used for soft tissue reconstruction, the biopsy site, and the biopsy type. Tumor volume was calculated on MR imaging of the distal femur region performed before surgery. Our study established cut-off values for soft tissue reconstruction need following resection as a total tumor volume of 96.4 cm3 , a tumor soft tissue component volume of 22 cm3 , a tumor soft tissue component volume-to-total tumor volume ratio of 48.9%, and tumor localization in two different regions on axial distal femoral MR images. Considering these cut-off values, by calculating tumor volume values preoperatively we can predict the need for rotational muscle flaps for soft tissue coverage following distal femur bone sarcoma resection and endoprosthesis reconstruction. Anticipating the need for soft tissue reconstruction may affect the duration and success of the operation.

What Is the Survival of the Telescope Allograft Technique to Augment a Short Proximal Femur Segment in Children After Resection and Distal Femur Endoprosthesis Reconstruction for a Bone Sarcoma?

What Is the Survival of the Telescope Allograft Technique to Augment a Short Proximal Femur Segment in Children After Resection and Distal Femur Endoprosthesis Reconstruction for a Bone Sarcoma?

Long-term outcomes of non-invasive expandable endoprostheses for primary malignant tumors around the knee in skeletally-immature patients

Expandable endoprostheses are used to restore limb function and compensate for the sacrifice physis involved in carcinologic resection. Long-term outcomes of the last generation of knee "non-invasive" expandable endoprostheses are required. Objectives were to report on oncologic results of bone sarcoma resection around the knee with expandable endoprosthesis reconstruction and to compare the surgical outcomes of the "non-invasive" expandable endoprostheses used in our department. Retrospective study that included all children with bone sarcoma around the knee that underwent tumor resection reconstructed with non-invasive expandable prosthesis. Phenix-Repiphysis was used from 1994 to 2008 followed by Stanmore JTS non-invasive from 2008 to 2016. Survival and complications were recorded. Functional outcomes included Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score, knee range of motion, lower limb discrepancy (LLD). Forty children (Sex Ratio = 1) aged a mean 8.8years (range, 5.6-13.8) at surgery were included in the study. There were 36 osteosarcoma and 4 Ewing sarcoma that involved 33 distal femur and 7 proximal tibia. Cohort (n = 40) consisted of 28 Phenix-Repiphysis and 12 Stanmore with a mean follow-up of 9.8 ± 5.8years and 6.1 ± 3.1years, respectively. Postoperative infection rate was 7.5% in the cohort (3 Repiphysis). Functional results were significantly better in the Stanmore group with a mean MSTS of 87.6 ± 5.4% and knee flexion of 112 ± 38°. At last follow-up, implant survival was 100% in Stanmore group, whereas all living Phenix-Repiphysis were explanted. Mechanical failure was the primary cause for revision of Phenix-Repiphysis. Limb length equality was noted in 79% patients with Phenix-Repiphysis and 84% with Stanmore at last follow-up. Chemotherapy and limb-salvage surgery yield good oncologic outcomes. Expandable endoprostheses are effective in maintaining satisfactory function and lower limb equality. With improvements made in the last generation of "non-invasive" prostheses, implants' survival has been substantially lengthened.

Impact of Primary Tumor Resection on Metastasis to the Lung in Patients With Bone and Soft-tissue Sarcoma

Few reports have investigated the effect of primary tumor resection on lung metastasis and prognosis in patients with bone and soft-tissue sarcoma, and we evaluated its effect on lung metastasis and prognosis.We retrospectively identified patients with lung metastasis from bone and soft-tissue sarcoma. We examined the factors affecting prognosis and the rate of lung metastasis increase.A total of 48 patients were included. The multivariate analysis revealed that poor prognosis was significantly associated with a large maximum diameter of lung metastasis at the first visit and a rapid rate of increase (p=0.0400 and p=0.0003, respectively). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the rate of increase of size of lung metastases was only significantly associated with a large maximum diameter at the first visit (p=0.0245).Primary tumor resection of bone and soft-tissue sarcoma in patients with lung metastasis was not shown to affect their prognosis.

What sports activity levels are achieved in long-term survivors with modular endoprosthetic humerus reconstruction following primary bone sarcoma resection?

SummaryBackgroundThe aim of the study was to assess (1) sports activity, (2) sports involving the upper extremities, (3) functional outcome and (4) sports-related complications of long-term survivors of primary malignant bone tumors of the proximal humerus.MethodsA total of 18 patients with an endoprosthetic reconstruction for primary malignant bone sarcoma of the proximal humerus (8 male, 10 female, mean age 19.9 ± 8.4 years, range 7.8–37.4 years) with an average follow-up of 18.1 ± 7.4 years (range 6.7–29.8 years) were included. The type of sport, frequency, duration of each sport session and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) activity score were assessed before surgery, at 1 year, 3 years and at the latest follow-up. Functional outcome was assessed by the Toronto extremity salvage score (TESS).ResultsThe mean UCLA activity score decreased from 8.0 (±1.3, range 5–9) preoperative to 4.2 (±1.7, range 3–8) at 1‑year follow-up (p < 0.05). After 3 years it increased to 5.1 (±1.75, range 3–8) and further to 7 (±1.8, range 4–9) at the last follow-up. The mean postoperative TESS was 80.8 (±6.4, range 75.7–91.4) at the latest follow-up. Patients who were initially more active without reconstruction including a synthetic mesh were more likely to develop soft tissue complications accompanied by proximal endoprothesis migration.ConclusionPatients with a modular endoprosthetic reconstruction of the humerus following primary bone sarcoma resume participation in sports. Regarding the low incidence of periprosthetic infections, utilization of a synthetic mesh for reconstruction to prevent soft tissue complications in active patients should be considered.

Reconstruction after periacetabular tumor resection with Lumic® endoprosthesis: What are the midterm results?

This study aimed to analyze the midterm outcomes of LUMiC® endoprosthetic reconstruction following periacetabular resection of primary bone sarcomas and carcinoma metastases. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 21 patients (11 male [52.3%], 10 female [47.6%]; mean age 47 ± 16 years) for whom a LUMiC® endoprosthesis (Implantcast) was used to reconstruct a periacetabular defect after internal hemipelvectomy. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as Ewing's sarcoma in six (28.5%), chondrosarcoma in 10 (47.6%), and bone metastasis from carcinoma in five (23.8%) patients. The median follow-up of patients was 57.8 months (95% confidence interval: 51.9-63.7). The implant survival rate at 1, 2, and 5 years were 95.2%, 85.7%, and 80.9%, respectively. The overall complication rate was 33.3% (n = 7). Four (19%) complications resulted in reconstruction failure. Total reoperation rate was 28.5% (n = 6). The complications were soft tissue failure/dislocation in two patients, aseptic loosening in one, infection in two, and local recurrence in two. At the time of study, seven patients were alive with no evidence of disease, seven were alive with disease, and seven died of disease. The 5-year overall survival rate and local recurrence-free survival rates were 67% and 76%, respectively. The median Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score at final follow-up was 70% (range: 50%-86.6%). We conclude that LUMiC® endoprosthesis provides good functional outcomes and a durable reconstruct. Even though this reconstruction method presents some complications, it provides a stable pelvis in the management of periacetabular malignant tumors.