Treatment of primary malignant bone tumours of the distal tibia

We treated 15 patients with primary malignant bone tumours of the distal tibia of which 14 were treated by limb salvage surgery. Reconstructions were done by allografts with or without microvascular fibula transfer, by bone transport, by fibula transfer alone or by endoprosthetic replacement. The most successful methods were bone transport and endoprosthetic replacement. However, serious complications with deep infections leading to secondary amputation occurred in four patients and in all reconstruction groups. After a mean follow up of 7 years, no local recurrence occurred, and all patients were alive and free of disease. After radical resection, bone transport in defects less than 15 cm is a viable option. In larger defects in children, allograft with vascularised fibula is an acceptable alternative, but amputation still has a role in this group. In adults, endoprosthetic replacement with proper soft tissue coverage is a viable option in cases with large bony defects.