[Surgical approach to giant cell tumors of the distal radius]

The authors review 15 patients with giant cell tumor of the distal part of the radius in the period from 1980 to 1993. Pain was always present. The treatment of stage 2 with marginal resection and methylmethacrylate yielded excellent result. In the treatment of stage 3 the authors emphasize the need of wide resection. In these patients the best functional results were obtained with the use of vascularized proximal epiphyseal fibular graft, preserving some painless mobility of the wrist and forearm.