title: Reconstruction with a free vascularized fibular graft for malignant bone tumor.
abstract: Seven patients with a bone tumor were operated on with local excision and a free vascularized fibular graft. Four of the patients received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The blood flow in the grafts was evaluated by scintigraphy within 1 week after the operation. The median follow-up time was 4 (1-5) years. All but one graft-host junction healed primarily. There were 5 graft fractures in 3 patients. Four of the fractures occurred in 2 patients who received preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Three of these fractures healed without surgery. Resorption of the grafts was never seen, whereas hypertrophy was observed in 6 patients. None of the patients had any permanent morbidity at the donor site. One patient had tumor recurrence and died after 2 years. Our findings indicate that a vascularized bone graft is also a useful alternative for reconstruction of large bone defects in patients receiving both chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Lund University, Department of Plastic Surgery, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rydholm
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wieslander
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing