title: Prosthetic replacement of the distal femur for primary bone tumours.
abstract: Over a 16-year period, 135 custom-made distal femoral prostheses, based on a fully constrained Stanmore-type knee replacement, were used in the treatment of primary malignant or aggressive benign tumours. Survivorship analysis showed a cumulative success rate of 72% at five years and 64% at seven years. Intact prostheses in 91% of the surviving patients gave good or excellent functional results. Deep infection was the major complication, occurring in 6.8% of cases; clinical aseptic loosening occurred in 6.0%. Revision surgery was carried out for loosening and infection, and the early results are encouraging. We conclude that prosthetic replacement of the distal femur can meet the objectives of limb salvage surgery.
authors.affiliation: Bone Tumour Treatment Service, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Northfield, Birmingham, England.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Grimer
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sneath
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Scales
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology