title: Long-term outcomes of epiphyseal preservation and reconstruction with inactivated bone for distal femoral osteosarcoma of children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the long-term outcomes of inactivated bone reimplantation with preservation of the epiphysis in children with distal femoral osteosarcomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 10 years, five children (mean age 9.2 years, one boy and four girls) with distal femoral osteosarcomas underwent inactivated bone reimplantation with preservation of the epiphysis following chemotherapy in our hospital. Three patients were type I on MRI classification (one with pathological fracture), and two type II. The therapeutic regime was two cycles of preoperative chemotherapy, surgery and six cycles of postoperative chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients were followed up for 60-126 months (mean 82 months). No local tumor recurrences or metastases occurred. Three patients with fractures of inactivated bone were treated by open reduction, bone grafting and internal fixation; their fractures had united by 6 months after reoperation. The mean functional score of the affected limbs was 25.6 points (13-30 points).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inactivated bone reimplantation with preservation of the epiphysis for distal femoral osteosarcomas in children optimizes recovery of limb function and preservation of limb length. The main measures for improving clinical outcomes include preoperative analysis of the lesion's boundaries and extent of tumor invasion, bone grafting between inactivated and host bone, and timely treatment of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, General Hospital of Jinan Military Commanding Region, Jinan, China. yxch36@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Xiu-chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Song-feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ruo-xian
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome