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[Treatment of pathologic fractures]
Summary
Surgical intervention, including internal fixation or prosthetic replacement, can restore limb function in patients with pathologic fractures from benign or malignant bone lesions. While effective for symptom management, malignant fractures indicate advanced disease with a poor prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Oncology
Context:
- Pathologic fractures result from benign or malignant bone lesions.
- Malignant fractures often stem from breast cancer metastases.
Purpose:
- To outline optimal surgical management strategies for pathologic fractures.
- To discuss the role of surgery in conjunction with other treatments like radiotherapy.
Summary:
- Reports on 8 benign and 52 malignant pathologic fractures.
- Recommends open reduction and rigid internal fixation for limb function restoration.
- Internal fixation for shaft lesions and prosthetic replacement for juxta-articular lesions are primary treatments.
- Amputation is rarely necessary.
- Surgical treatment combined with radiotherapy is discussed for malignant fractures.
Impact:
- Surgical treatment improves limb function and facilitates patient mobilization.
- For malignant fractures, treatment eases nursing care and aids mobility, despite a short survival time due to late diagnosis.