title: [Complications of oncologic hemipelvectomy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of bone pelvic tumors is associated with high compli cation rates. The surgeon usually has to decide between external and internal hemipelvectomy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the frequency of infectious and wound-related complications in a group of patients undergoing hemipelvectomy for different types of musculoskeletal tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an observational, descriptive, retrospective study with a single measurement. We observed the complications that occurred in eight patients treated with different modalities of hemipelvectomy without reconstruction. Infectious and wound-related complications were described as follows: a) no complications, b) seroma, c) hematoma, d) mild infectious process, e) moderate infectious process, f) severe infectious process, and g) flap necrosis. Internal hemipelvectomies were classified usin Enneking and Dunham's criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients were assessed. Five patients underwent external hemipelvectomy and three internal hemipelvectomy. Two patients had no complications (25%), three had seromas (37.5%), one patient wa treated for a mild infectious process (12.5%) and two for severe infectious processes (25%). 75% of the patients had complications. No cases of flap necrosis were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The surgeon decides which the best procedure in each case is. Different types of complications of hemipelvectomy have been reported; the most common ones are infectious processes and flap necrosis, and our results are similar to those reported by other authors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pelvic bone tumors are usually large masses that hinder the achievement of tumor-free surgical margins. There is a high likelihood of postoperative wound complications.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oncología Ortopédica, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Traumatología y Ortopedia No. 21, Centro Médico del Noreste, IMSS, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. jairst@axtel.net
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Torres
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santos-Hernández
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult