[Results with endoprostheses and bone transplantation in surgery for bone tumors]

Seventy six bone tumor patients were treated by limb salvage operations at the Orthopaedic Department of the Semmelweis Medical School in Budapest from 1981 through 1991. The bone defect was reconstructed with endoprostheses in 25 cases and with bone grafts in 51 cases. The mean follow-up period of 72 patients was 51 months (min. 12 months). There were local recurrences in 11% of the patients. Two complications occurred at the tumor endoprostheses, which functional rating were excellent or good in 75%. The most common complications at the bone grafting were infection (9.8%), fracture (11.8%), which did not influence the end result, and nonunion (9.8%) occurring often in homografts of resection-arthrodesis during the chemotherapy. This complications could be managed in all but two cases without loss of the limb. The bone grafts performed acceptable (excellent or good) functional result in 66% of the patients. Authors suggest reconstruction of the bone defect with bone grafting in cases of semimalignant and low malignant tumors, prefer, however, tumor endoprosthesis implantation in high malignant bone tumors which need chemotherapy.