title: Time of survival and quality of life of the patients operatively treated due to pathological fractures due to bone metastases.
abstract: Background.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) evaluation of the quality of life of the patients after surgical treatment of bone metastases, 2) evaluation of survival rate of the patients after surgical treatment of bone metastases, <br /> 3) presentation of the authors' clinical score system for evaluation of the treatment results of bone metastases, 4) analysis of general complications rate after surgical treatment of bone metastases. <br /> Material and methods. Retrospective evaluation of 62 patients with bone metastases treated operatively in our Ward during last 13 years was made. Mean age of patients was 63,6 years. There were 41 women (mean age; 62,8 years) and 21 men (mean age: 64,3). In 49 cases (79%) we were able to diagnose primary localization of the tumour: breast carcinoma - 22, ovary cancer - 6, lung cancer - 5, prostate cancer - 5, kidney cancer - 6, gastric cancer - 1, vaginal cancer - 1, hepatocellular cancer - 1, melanoma - 1 and plasmocytoma - 1. We could not reveal primary focus of the tumour in 13 cases (21%). Localizations of bone metastases are as follow: femur - 49 cases, humerus - 10, tibia - 3. After being accepted to operavite treatment, the patients had been cured as quickly as possible - sometimes during emergency service. In 2 cases with metastases in the tibia there were amputations made in femur regions. In remainq patients we made local excisions of metastatic tumours with internal osteosynthesis and bone cement application in 47 cases, with internal osteosynthesis only in 7 cases, with hip arthroplasty in 8 cases. <br /> Results. We have poor results in 4,8%, because of the death of 3 patients. Mean time of follow-up since surgical procedure was 6 months. In 82,3% we have very good or good results - no pain, good function and independence in daily activities. Mean survival time is 17,5 months (range: 5-36 months). <br /> Conclusions. Efficacy of the surgical procedures of pathological fracures due to bone metastases in reliving the pain, improvement of patients' mobility and activiteis of day living are very good. Mean time of survival after surgical treatment of pathological fracture due to bone metastases in study group justifies its applications in spite of higher rate of general complications.<br />
authors.affiliation: Oddział Chirurgii Ortopedyczno-Urazowej, Specjalistyczny Szpital im. S. Zeromskiego, Kraków.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dutka
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sosin