Extralesional resection for tumours of the pelvic bones

A retrospective analysis of 92 patients with tumours of the bony pelvis is presented. Limbsparing operations may be adequate or inadequate. Adequate operations are those in which the excision is extralesional and the function of the limb is preserved as far as possible. An operation is inadequate if either oncological principles are abandoned or if carried out with no regard for them, but function is preserved to a greater extent. The postoperative mortality in 92 patients was 1.2%. In 12, oncological principles were not fulfilled. Long term results were available in 78 patients: 42 are alive and free of disease after more than 5 years, 17 of them for more than 10 years and 2 for more than 25 years. One patient with recurrence and metastases to the lungs is alive after 12 years.