Limb salvage in musculoskeletal oncology: Recent advances

The treatment of musculoskeletal sarcomas has made vast strides in the last few decades. From an era where amputation was the only option to the current day function preserving resections and complex reconstructions has been a major advance. The objectives of extremity reconstruction after oncologic resection include providing skeletal stability where necessary, adequate wound coverage to allow early subsequent adjuvant therapy, optimising the aesthetic outcome and preservation of functional capability with early return to function. This article highlights the concepts of surgical margins in oncology, discusses the principles governing safe surgical resection in these tumors and summarises the current modalities and recent developments relevant to reconstruction after limb salvage. The rationale of choice of a particular resection modality, the unique challenges of reconstruction in skeletally immature individuals and the impact of adjuvant modalities like chemotherapy and radiotherapy on surgical outcomes are also discussed.