ABSTRACT
The present study was performed to determine whether there is a difference in the functional outcome and recurrence rate after different methods of treatment of giant-cell tumor of long bones. Thirty-four patients, 23 females and 11 males with a mean age of 26 years were treated. According to the grading system developed by Campanacci et al., three lesions were grade I, 20 lesions were grade II and 11 lesions were grade III. The follow up ranged from 12-40 months with an average of 15 months. The patients were evaluated with regard to pain, postoperative function and local recurrence. Twenty- two patients were treated by curettage, while 12 by resection. After curettage, liquid nitrogen was used in 14 patients and high speed burr only was used in 8 patients. After curettage, the cavity was filled with autograft [iliac bone chips] in 15 patients and cement in 7 patients. After wide resection, arthrodesis was performed in five patients, endoprostheses were inserted in five patients and replacement of the distal radius by an ipsilateral fibular graft for two patients. Four of the 34 patients had a local recurrence during a mean follow up period of 15 months, including three patients having recurrence after curettage and one after resection. The functional result according to Mankin's classification was excellent in 19 patients, good in seven patients, fair in four patients and failed in four patients