Usefulness of limb salvage surgery for bone and soft tissue sarcomas of the distal lower leg.
OBJECTIVE
The usefulness of limb salvage surgery for distal lower leg sarcoma remains controversial. We analyzed the long-term prognosis, limb function, and complications after limb salvage treatment of patients with distal lower leg sarcoma.


METHODS
Ten patients treated with limb salvage surgery for primary distal lower leg sarcoma were retrospectively reviewed. The median follow-up period after the first operation was 9.0 years. We performed three types of reconstructive techniques for the skeletal defect after a wide resection, including (1) arthrodesis with a combination of autograft and intraoperative autoclaved tumor bone graft in two patients, or allograft in one patient, (2) ankle joint preserving surgery using intraoperative extracorporeal irradiated tumor bone graft in five patients, and (3) prosthesis in two patients.


RESULTS
The overall survival rate was 80%. The 5-year disease-free survival was 80%. The rate of limb preservation at the final follow-up was 90%. The mean functional score according to the scoring system of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society was 88% at the final follow-up. Postoperative complications occurred in seven patients. Skin trouble occurred in three patients, infectious non-union in one patient, fracture in three patients, and loosening of prosthesis in one patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the high rate of complications, patients treated with limb salvage surgery for the distal lower leg sarcoma revealed excellent final functional results without impairing the oncologic results. Limb salvage surgery is therefore considered to be an effective treatment option for distal lower leg sarcoma when adequate informed consent can be obtained from the patient.
Niimi
Rui
R
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu City, Mie, Japan.
Matsumine
Akihiko
A
Kusuzaki
Katsuyuki
K
Kuratsu
Shigeyuki
S
Araki
Nobuhito
N
Aoki
Yasuaki
Y
Ueda
Takafumi
T
Kudawara
Ikuo
I
Myoui
Akira
A
Ieguchi
Makoto
M
Hashimoto
Nobuyuki
N
Yoshikawa
Hideki
H
Uchida
Atsumasa
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*