Limb-salvage for osteosarcoma

Limb-salvage surgery plays an important role in the treatment of osteosarcoma. Among 104 patients with osteosarcoma we managed from 1974 to 1993, 60 were treated with limb-salvage procedure. 44 patients with IIB tumor received adjuvant chemotherapy, and the five-year survival rate was 46.69%. The local recurrence rate of these 60 patients was 15%, the infection rate 11.7%, and the prosthetic mechanical complication was 13.3%. Our results suggest that limb-salvage procedures are not only possible but also can provide patients with better function.