[Treatment results following compound osteosyntheses. Pathological fractures and osteolyses in the extremities]

65 combined osteosyntheses were applied to 49 patients for existent or imminent pathological fractures. The most frequent reason was carcinoma of the breast in 2/3 of the cases. Surgical intervention was done palliatively non radical in 52 cases as a posttraumatic and in 13 cases as a prophylactic procedure. Surgery was well tolerated by all patients with a primary hospital mortality of 10,2%. On an average the survival time for 10 patients still living was 22 1/2 months, for 39 patients who had died 8 1/2 months. In all cases a substantial increase in quality of life was gained, both by enabling the patient to use the extremity concerned almost without pain and by greatly relieving bedside care. These results indicate that combined osteosyntheses should be applied on a broader basis.