title: Massive bone allografts in the treatment of pathologic fractures due to bone metastases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pathologic fractures due to disseminated metastases are common and often involve major long bones, where the metastasis is responsible for wide bone erosion that is equivalent to major bone loss. Stabilization of these fractures necessitates tumor excision and reconstruction of the destructive metastatic process.
  
  
  METHODS
  Massive allografts were used either as intercalary or "composite" grafts (allografts and regular prostheses) in 17 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen patients could ambulate independently after surgery, and nursing of the remaining three became feasible and less painful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the event of pathologic fractures due to metastatic bone diseases associated with major bone involvement, massive bone allografts offer an inexpensive, adjustable, simple, solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery A, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rahamimov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pritch
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rotstein
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horoszowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous