[Reconstruction of bone defects with autograft after resection of upper extremity bone]

To discuss the reconstructive method of the bone defect after resection of the upper extremity bone tumor and to assess the outcome of the autograft to reconstruct the bone defect after the bone tumor resection.

From August 1998 to March 2004, 16 patients aged 7-45 years suffering from bone tumor of the upper extremity were treated with the wide resection of the bone tumor and the reconstruction of the bone defect by the autograft. The following diagnoses were confirmed by pathological examination: Ewing's sarcoma and osteosarcoma of the proximal humerus in 1 patient each; Ewing's sarcoma of the distal humerus in 2 patients; giant cell tumor in 8 patients, high-grade chondrosarcoma in 2, malignant fibrohistiocytoma in 1; and osteosarcoma in 1 of the distal radius. Substitution of the proximal humerus with the clavicle was performed in 2 patients, and the distal humerus with the fibula in other 2 patients. Of the 12 patients with tumor in the distal radius, 1 was reconstructed with autograft of the iliac bone and 11 with autograft with the fibula. The functional outcome was evaluated by the MSTS score.

The follow-up for 36 and 12 months respectively revealed that in the 2 patients undergoing the autograft with the clavicle in the proximal humerus, good shoulder functions of flexion and extension were obtained although the function of abduction was poor, with the MSTS scores of 23 and 22 respectively. In the 2 patients undergoing the autograft with the fibular in the distal humerus, good elbow function and bone union were observed according to the follow-up for 3 and 4 months respectively, with the MSTS scores of 24 and 19 respectively. Of the 12 patients undergoing the autograft in the distal radius, 11 had an excellent or good function with no complication, with the average MSTS score of 22.6 (ranging from 18 to 27), according to the follow-up for 6-75 months; only 1 had no bone union 10 months after operation and lost the follow-up afterwards.

Reconstruction of the bone defect with the autograft after the wide resection of the upper extremity bone tumor is an ideal and reliable method for some suitable patients, especially for some children.