Clinical results of limb salvage operation with major vascular reconstruction for sarcomas of extremities / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine the feasibility of limb salvage with major vascular reconstruction for sarcomas of extremities, focusing on the early complications, oncological and functional outcomes.Methods Between August 2004 and June 2009, 13 patients (mean age 38 years, range 14-63 years) underwent wide resection of upper and lower extremity sarcomas to include the involved arterial and venous segments. 4 patients had bone sarcomas and 9 soft tissue sarcomas, 6 patients only had underwent artery replacement and the other 7 had underwent both artery and vein. 8 resected vessels were reconstructed with vascular graft and 5 with ipsilateral or contralateral saphenous vein. Results No patient suffered from reperfusion injury and infection. The patient with osteosarcoma in proximal humerus had suffered acute arterial graft thrombosis at first day postoperatively; however, the limb was salvaged after successful thrombectomy. 5 of 8 patients with synthetic graft developed minor delayed wound healing and hematoma, but the other 5 patients with autologous saphenous vein replacement did not. The mean follow-up was 19.4 months (7-45months). One patient died of pulmonary metastasis; the patient with osteosarcoma in proximal humerus had developed local recurrence, but refused amputation and was alive with metastasis. No arterial occlusion was observed at final follow-up or at the time of death, but the patency of artery and vein was 100% and 28.6%respectively. One patient who has pulmonary metastases before operation died of metastases 7.5 months after operation. Four patients developed pulmonary metastases, therefore, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that 2-year overall and metastasis-free survival rate was 90.9% and 63.6% respectively. Functional status were judged as good or excellent (mean MSTS score 72%) in 12 of 13 patients. Conclusion The study indicate that malignant involvement of major vessels is not a contraindication for limb-salvage. Vascular reconstruction is a feasible option in limb salvage surgery. Wide resection with vascular reconstruction provide acceptable oncological and functional outcome of limb salvage.