Aim of this study was to review surgical treatment of femural metastases, comparing nailing versus resection and prosthetic reconstruction. Between 1975 and 2008 110 patients were surgically treated for metastatic disease of the femur. Prostheses were implanted in 57 cases (16 HMRS® Stryker, 38 MRP® Bioimpianti, 2 Osteobridge® and 1 GMRS®). In 53 patients femoral nailing was performed with different types of locked nails (32 Gamma, 14 Grosse-Kempft and 6 T2-Stryker®). Sites of primary tumor were breast (33 cases), kidney (18), lung (17), undifferentiated carcinoma (14), g.i. (8), bladder and prostate (5 each), endometrium and thyroid (3 each), skin (2), pheochromocytoma and pancreas (1 each). Indications to nails were given in patients with femoral metastasis and poor prognosis: multiple metastases, short free interval, unfavourable histotype, poor general conditions. Resection and prosthesis was preferred for patients with solitary metastasis, long free interval, favourable histotype, good general conditions or in whenever the extent of the lesion was not amenable to a durable internal fixation. Complications were analysed. Univariate analysis by Kaplan-Meier curves of implant and oncological survival was performed. Functional results were assessed with MSTS system.Aim
Method
The current investigation includes a retrospective review of the experience of five Institutions with distal femur megaprostheses for tumor over a twenty year period, to analyze the incidence and etiology of failure, using a new classification system based upon the failure modes. Between 1974 and 2008, 2174 patients underwent primary limb preservation for a benign or malignant extremity tumor using a metallic megaprosthesis at five Institutions, 951 (43.7%) were distal femur replacements. Retrospective analysis of complications according to the Letson and Ruggieri Classification was performed and Kaplan-Meier curves of implant survival were defined. Segmental megaprosthetic reconstruction failures were categorized as mechanical and non-mechanical failures.Introduction
Methods
Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (D.C.) has a very poor prognosis. The efficacy of chemotherapy is still debated. Aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of patients with D.C. and to evaluate possible prognostic factors. Between 1990 and 2006, 109 patients were treated for D.C.: 55 males and 54 females, mean age of 59.6 years. In 81 cases tumor was located in the extremities and in 28 cases in the trunk. The most frequent dedifferentiation was in osteosarcoma (53.2%) followed by spindle cell sarcoma (21%), malignant fibrous histiocytoma (13.8%), fibrosarcoma (6.4%). All patients received surgery and mostly, limb salvage with tumor resection and implantation of a megaprosthesis or allograft (65 patients). Chemotherapy was given to 43 patients.Introduction
Methods
There is doubt regarding resection compared to curettage for pelvic metastases. Previous studies have reported that curettage is associated with decreased survival compared with wide resection, and have justified a radical surgical approach to achieve pain palliation and tumor control. To evaluate the role of wide en bloc resection compared to curettage/marginal resection for patients with pelvic metastases. The rationale was that wide resection does not improve survival even in patients with solitary pelvic metastases.Background
Aim
