Abstract
Introduction
Our Unit has been treating large volume soft tissue sarcomas involving the sciatic nerve with epineurectomy for over a decade. The aim of this study was to quantify the functional outcome of patients who were known to have sciatic nerve involvement pre-operatively and went on to have nerve preserving surgery utilising a planned marginal excision with epineurectomy.
Methods
20 patients with soft tissue sarcomas involving the sciatic nerve were studied treated between 1997 and 2010. Nineteen underwent surgery with extended epineurectomy of the sciatic nerve and planned marginal excision. All patients underwent staging and follow up at our Sarcoma Clinic with functional assessment and TESS evaluation.
Results
There were sixteen low and four high-grade posterior thigh tumours of which nineteen were liposarcomas and one haemangiopericytoma. Two were recurrent and eighteen were primary. There were seven men and thirteen women with a mean age of 77 years. Nineteen patients underwent planned marginal excision. There was soft tissue reconstruction in three cases using fascial adductor or gracilis graft for sciatic nerve cover and one with superficial femoral nerve and vein resection requiring ipsilateral saphenous reconstruction. The remainder underwent direct primary reconstruction. Eight patients underwent post operative radiotherapy. There was no local recurrence of disease. There was one patient with post radiation wound necrosis that resolved. Four patients have died of unrelated causes.
Discussion
Planned marginal excision (PME) of low grade large volume posterior thigh sarcomas with extensive sciatic nerve involvement can be successfully treated with preservation of the sciatic nerve without significant morbidity and excellent resultant limb function. Even with PME of high grade disease with adjuvant radiotherapy, there was no local recurrence. Whilst the procedure is technically demanding, providing strict surgical technique is employed, damage to the sciatic nerve is rare and leaves patients with an unimpaired future lifestyle.
