Surgical options in cases of tumorous destruction of the proximal humerus: twenty-one patients followed from 4-9 years.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the postoperative outcomes of several techniques of reconstructive surgery for malignant and aggressive benign tumors of the proximal humerus.


METHODS
Twenty-one shoulder reconstructions following tumor resection were studied. Nine cases with an intracompartmental tumor were treated with endoprosthetic reconstruction. Three cases with the tumor involving the glenoid were treated with a typical Malawer VB shoulder girdle resection. In 5 patients with extracompartmental resections including the rotator cuff or the deltoid muscle a modified Tikhoff-Linberg procedure using polypropylene mesh was performed. In 4 patients with extracompartmental excision the authors proceeded to skeletal reconstruction using a modular endoprosthesis, while soft tissue reconstruction was undertaken using monofilament polypropylene mesh in order to enforce joint stability.


RESULTS
All patients achieved stable shoulders. In cases where the technique was modified with mesh the functional outcome was fairly improved and the cosmetic result was excellent.


CONCLUSIONS
For extracompartmental excisions including the deltoid or the rotator cuff the authors recommend a modified Tikhoff-Linberg procedure. Using polypropylene mesh they aim to achieve a static suspension in order to avoid the excessive traction of the neurovascular bundle, which is the most common complication of this procedure. Substitutionally such cases may be treated by reconstruction with a modular endoprosthesis. They recommend stabilization of the prosthesis with the use of mesh implant, avoiding in this way instability.
Ioannou
M
M
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, "Metaxa" Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece. markosioannou@yahoo.gr
Papanastassiou
J
J
Athanassiou
A E
AE
Ziras
N
N
Kottakis
S
S
Demertzis
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000295:instrumentation; D001706:Biopsy; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D020127:Recovery of Function; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000601:surgery; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult