Total femur replacement for Ewing's sarcoma after wide resection of the proximal femur: a long-term follow-up case study

ABSTRACT

Background: Total femur replacement is a relatively rarely performed procedure for the reconstruction of an affected limb after resection of a malignant bone tumor.Objective: Report total femur replacement in a 17-year-old male patient after wide resection of the right femur for involvement of the proximal segment of the bone by Ewing’s sarcoma.Results: The complications that often arose from the use of the tumor prostheses after the tumor resection, e.g.,infection and migration/dislocation of the artificial bonehead, were overcome successfully. The patient has been under follow-up for a relatively long period of time (16 years) since the surgery. The operated limb function is nowrated at 70% according to the rating system by Musculo-Skeletal Tumor Society (MSTS). The patient has almost completely regained his ability to walk and carries on with activities of daily living.Conclusion: If appropriate measures are taken to deal with the complications, favorable function of the operated limb can be expected to be maintained for long periods after reconstruction using this technique.Keywords Total femur replacement, Ewing’s sarcoma, complications