OSTEOARTICULAR ALLOGRAFT RECONSTRUCTION AFTER DISTAL RADIAL RESECTION FOR BONE TUMORS: A SERIES OF 18 CASES AT 1.5 TO 8 YEARS FOLLOW-UP

Abstract

Different techniques were proposed for reconstruction after distal radial resection for bone tumors. When not dealing with heavy workers or complex revision cases, a motility preserving procedure can be used. From 1999 to 2007 we performed a reconstruction with an ostearticular allograft in 18 patients.

Age of the patients ranged from 13 to 56 years. Histotypes were: giant cell tumor in 16 patients, Ewing sarcoma in 1, osteosarcoma in 1. Neadjuvant chemotherapy was used in Ewing and osteosarcoma patients. Length of resection ranged from 5 to 13 cm. An accurate host-graft capsulorraphy was performed to reestablish joint stability; no adjunctive distal radioulnar stabilization procedures were used. In one case the procedure was performed after a failed previous graft-arthrodesis; in this case also a proximal row carpectomy was performed.

Non-union of the allograft occurred in 2 cases. In one case autologous cancellous bone grafting from the iliac crest was performed. In the second case the patient due to mild symptoms has till now refused further surgery.

No septic complications occurred.

One patient presented a fracture of the allograft; a revision procedure was performed with a new allograft but also the second graft failed and an arthrodesis was performed. This was the only complete failure of our series.

Follow-up ranged from 20 to 103 months. No recurrences (local or distant) were observed. The patients were evaluated with radiographic and clinical examination. Functional evaluation was performed using ISOLS-MSTS score and a wrist-specific functional score (PRWE).

The oncological and functional results in our series highlight that a functional wrist can be restored with an osteoarticular allograft after distal radial resection for bone tumors. Deterioration of the results could occur in the long-term and thus further monitoring with a longer follow-up is needed.