Proximal femoral reconstruction with custom mega prosthesis

Seventy-seven patients with proximal femoral tumours underwent limb salvage surgery with custom mega prostheses between July 1989 and January 2002. We describe 44 cases with a mean follow-up of 57.8 months. Forty-one patients presented with malignant neoplasms of which 11 were malignant giant cell tumours, eight were chondrosarcoma and five were metastases. Wide margins were achieved for all malignant tumours, and marginal resection was done for all benign and metastatic lesions. Six patients died of disease and two were lost to follow-up. Mechanical complications were observed in six cases, fracture being the most common. Oncological complications occurred in five patients. Functional activity was satisfactory in 79% of patients.