Reimplantation of autoclaved tumour bone in limb salvage surgery

This is a prospective clinical study of 7 patients with malignant bone tumours who were treated by resection of the tumour, followed with reconstruction by reimplantation of the resected autoclaved tumour bone. There were 3 male and 4 female patients between 10 and 36 years of age. All the tumours were Stage IIB. Five of the 7 were in the region of the knee joint. Histologically, 5 were osteosarcomas, 1 a recurrent chondrosarcoma and 1 a recurrent Ewing's sarcoma. All the patients were treated by en bloc resection of the tumour with wide margins. The resected length ranged from 13 cm to 28 cm. After removal of soft tissue and cartilage, the resected bone segment was autoclaved for 5 min at 132 degrees C and 29 pounds per square inch pressure (0.2 mega Pascal). This autoclaved segment of bone was then reimplanted and fixed with an appropriate implant. The average follow-up was 20 months with a range of 14 to 27 months. None of the tumours recurred and, at the most recent follow-up, all the patients were alive, 6 with no evidence of disease and one with a lung metastasis. Six of the 7 patients were available for radiological assessment. Solid bone union was seen in 4 patients, delayed union in 1 and nonunion in 1. This method of reconstruction using an autoclaved tumour bone graft is useful in countries where facilities for allograft or tumour prostheses are not available owing to financial, technical or sociocultural reasons.