Aims

For paediatric and adolescent patients with growth potential, preservation of the physiological joint by transepiphyseal resection (TER) of the femur confers definite advantages over arthroplasty procedures. We hypothesized that the extent of the tumour and changes in its extent after neoadjuvant chemotherapy are essential factors in the selection of this procedure, and can be assessed with MRI. The oncological and functional outcomes of the procedure were reviewed to confirm its safety and efficacy.

Acetabular reconstruction of extensive bone defect is troublesome in revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA). Kerboull or Kerboull type reinforcement acetabular device with allobone grafting has been applied since 1996. Clinical results of the procedure were evaluated. Patients. One hundred and ninety-two consecutive revision total hip arthroplasties were performed with allograft bone supported by the Kerboull or Kerboull type reinforcement acetabular device from 1996 to 2009. There were 23 men and 169 women. Kerboull plates were applied to 18 patients, and Kerboull type plates to 174. The mean follow up of the whole series was 8 years (4–18years). Surgical Technique. The superior bone defect was reconstructed principally by a large bulky allo block with plate system. Medial bone defect was reconstructed by adequate bone chips and/or sliced bone plates. After temporally fixation of bulky bone block with two 2.0mm K-wires, it was remodeled by reaming to fit the gap between host bone and plate, followed by fixation to the iliac bone by screws. Finally, residual space of the defect between host bone and the fixed plated was filled up with morselized cancellous bones, bone chips, and/or wedged bony fragments with impaction. This method was sufficiently applicable to AAOS Typeâ�, II, and III bone defects. In case of AAOS Typeâ�£, the procedure was also available after repairing discontinuation between distal and proximal bones by reconstrusion plate or allografting with tibial bone plates or sliced femoral head. Results. Nine patients (4.7%) required revision surgery (infection 5, breakage 3, and malalignment 1). The plate breakage was observed in 8 joints (4.2%). Three patients had no symptoms after the breakage. Three required revision, but the other cases were carefully observed without additional surgical intervention. Ten-year survival rate by Kaplan-Meier method was 96.6% when the endpoint was set revision by asceptic loosning. Conclusions. This study indicated that acetabular allograft reconstructions reinforced by Kerboull or Kerboull type acetabular device were able to recover bone stock with anatomic reconstruction of femoral head center, thus providing satisfactory clinical results in middle term period

Cancellous allograft bone chips are commonly used in the reconstruction of defects in bone after removal of benign tumours. We investigated the MRI features of grafted bone chips and their change over time, and compared them with those with recurrent tumour. We retrospectively reviewed 66 post-operative MRIs from 34 patients who had undergone curettage and grafting with cancellous bone chips to fill the defect after excision of a tumour. All grafts showed consistent features at least six months after grafting: homogeneous intermediate or low signal intensities with or without scattered hyperintense foci (speckled hyperintensities) on T1 images; high signal intensities with scattered hypointense foci (speckled hypointensities) on T2 images, and peripheral rim enhancement with or without central heterogeneous enhancements on enhanced images. Incorporation of the graft occurred from the periphery to the centre, and was completed within three years. Recurrent lesions consistently showed the same signal intensities as those of pre-operative MRIs of the primary lesions. There were four misdiagnoses, three of which were chondroid tumours.

We identified typical MRI features and clarified the incorporation process of grafted cancellous allograft bone chips. The most important characteristics of recurrent tumours were that they showed the same signal intensities as the primary tumours. It might sometimes be difficult to differentiate grafted cancellous allograft bone chips from a recurrent chondroid tumour.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:121–8.

To assess the sustainability of our institutional bone bank, we calculated the final product cost of fresh-frozen femoral head allografts and compared these costs with the use of commercial alternatives. Between 2007 and 2010 all quantifiable costs associated with allograft donor screening, harvesting, storage, and administration of femoral head allografts retrieved from patients undergoing elective hip replacement were analysed.

From 290 femoral head allografts harvested and stored as full (complete) head specimens or as two halves, 101 had to be withdrawn. In total, 104 full and 75 half heads were implanted in 152 recipients. The calculated final product costs were €1367 per full head. Compared with the use of commercially available processed allografts, a saving of at least €43 119 was realised over four-years (€10 780 per year) resulting in a cost-effective intervention at our institution. Assuming a price of between €1672 and €2149 per commercially purchased allograft, breakeven analysis revealed that implanting between 34 and 63 allografts per year equated to the total cost of bone banking.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1307–11