Abstract
Background & Methods: We reviewed the treatment of 311 patients with primary osteosarcoma treated at a specialist centre between 1995 and 2004. Of this number we identified 8 patients (2.5%) who had undergone inappropriate surgical treatment otherwise known as a ‘whoops’ procedure. These patients were studied to determine the impact of the whoops operations on their subsequent treatment and prognosis.
Results: The whoops procedure consisted of arthroscopic surgery in 3 patients, open reduction and internal fixation of pathological fractures in 2 patients, excision in 2 patients and curettage in 1 patient. The patients who had a whoops procedure were three times more likely to be male, older (median age 25 versus 16 years), had tumours in the lower extremities and were more likely to have amputation as primary local treatment (40% versus 25%). the rates of local recurrence and survival were similar in those with whoops procedures and without.
Conclusion: Whoops procedure is associated with increased risk of amputation and more extensive procedures but does not appear to affect the prognosis of the patient.
The abstracts were prepared by Mr Matt Costa and Mr Ben Ollivere. Correspondence should be addressed to Mr Costa at Clinical Sciences Research Institute, University of Warwick, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK.
