Reconstruction of bone defects following tumour resection from the lower limb by vascularized fibular graft

ABSTRACT

Eight patients with malignant primary bone tumours affecting their lower limbs were treated with radical resection and reconstruction with a vascularised fibular graft. Patients were followed up for an average period of 30 months. All patients showed union of the graft at both ends within an average period of nine months. Six cases started to show hypertrophy of the graft within an average period of one year. One patient had a fracture of both the graft and the nail used for fixation three years postoperatively which united six months later after plating and grafting. Another patient with primary intramedullary osteosarcoma had recurrence of the tumour one year after the resection. Amputation was done but the patient died from distant spread