Free Fibula Flap for Extremity Oncologic Defects: Factors Influencing Union and Functional Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to evaluate outcomes after vascularized bone flap (VBF) reconstruction of oncologic bony extremity defects. A secondary goal was to compare union rates based on various insetting methods, including onlay, intermedullary, and intercalary. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective review of consecutive patients who received an extremity reconstruction with a fibula flap after oncologic resection between 2001 and 2019. RESULTS: The authors identified a total of 60 fibular VBFs in 55 patients (67% lower extremity, 33% upper extremity). The overall union rate was 91.7% (55 of 60). For lower extremity reconstructions, the mean time to full weightbearing was 16 months (range, 4 to 44 months). Fibula VBFs were onlay in 65% of cases, intercalary in 23%, and intramedullary in 12%. Forty-three percent of patients required a reoperation as a result of a surgical complication. Immediate femur reconstruction subgroup analysis demonstrated that onlay fibula flap orientation was associated with a significantly increased risk for any complication (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% CI, 1.4 to 28.7; P = 0.03) as well as an increased risk for requiring conversion to endoprostheses because of nonunion (OR, 12.1; 90% CI, 1.03 to 143.5; P = 0.03) compared with intramedullary placement. CONCLUSIONS: The free vascularized fibula flap is a reliable option for functional reconstruction of any long bone extremity defect, but complications in these complex procedures are not uncommon. In patients with immediate femur reconstructions, intramedullary fibula placement was associated with significantly lower complication and lower metallic implant conversion rates and a trend toward a more rapid early union compared with onlay VBF. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

Robotic Rectus Abdominis Muscle Flap following Robotic Extirpative Surgery.

SUMMARY: Vascularized tissue for obliteration of large pelvic dead spaces created by extirpative surgery has been shown to reduce complication rates. As more extensive resections are performed robotically, plastic surgeons have been challenged to reconstruct the resulting defects using a minimally invasive approach. The goal of this study was to report the authors' experience with robotic harvest of the rectus abdominis muscle for reconstruction of pelvic defects. The authors conducted a retrospective case series of patients who underwent robotic flap harvest following robotic extirpative surgery at their institution. Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, and postoperative outcomes were collected. These were compared to a retrospective cohort of patients who underwent open rectus abdominis muscle harvest. The authors identified seven male patients who underwent robotic flap harvest for pelvic reconstruction between 2013 and 2019. Their mean age was 66 ± 6 years and mean body mass index was 31 ± 5 kg/m2. Six patients (86 percent) had a history of radiation therapy and five patients (71 percent) received hormone therapy or chemotherapy. Surgical-site complications occurred in two patients. One patient developed ventral hernia. The donor-site complication rate was 19 percent (n = 18) in patients who underwent open rectus abdominis muscle harvest (n = 95). This study demonstrates the safety, efficacy, and reproducibility of robotic harvest of the rectus abdominis muscle in complex, multidisciplinary, minimally invasive pelvic surgery. The technique avoids violation of the anterior rectus sheath and wound complications related to open flap harvest, and early experience suggests reduced donor-site morbidity. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Postpartum Treatment of Metastatic Recurrent Giant Cell Tumor of Capitate Bone of Wrist.

Giant cell tumors (GCTs) are aggressive benign lesions that occur in the bone epiphysis. They are most often found in the long bones of the lower extremities. Wrist bone involvement is rare, capitate bone involvement exceedingly rare. Treatment in the wrist usually consists of excision, local adjuvant treatment, and cementing and/or bone grafting. GCTs also metastasize to the lungs; pulmonary lesions are excised and systemic therapy provided. We present the case of a 19-year-old woman with GCT of the capitate bone. After initial excision and cementing, the GCT recurred with lung metastases during a pregnancy. Rapid expansion of the GCT during pregnancy was reversed with systemic treatment with denosumab after pregnancy. Excellent response to this chemotherapy permitted limb-sparing surgery and wrist reconstruction with structural cortical autogenous bone graft. Resection of pulmonary metastases after a year of treatment with denosumab revealed lung parenchyma with calcification and ossification and limited viable tumor.

Operative and Oncologic Outcomes in 9861 Patients with Operable Breast Cancer: Single-Institution Analysis of Breast Conservation with Oncoplastic Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Oncoplastic reconstruction is an approach that enables patients with locally advanced or adversely located tumors to undergo breast conserving surgery (BCS). The objectives were to identify the use of BCS with oncoplastic reconstruction (BCS + R) and determine the operative and oncologic outcomes compared with other breast surgical procedures for breast cancer. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study interrogated a single institution's prospectively maintained databases to identify patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer between 2007 and 2014. Surgeries were categorized as BCS, BCS + R, total mastectomy (TM), or TM with immediate reconstruction (TM + R). Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 10,607 operations performed for 9861 patients. Median follow-up was 3.4 years (range, 0-9.1 years). The use of BCS + R had a nearly fourfold increase in the percentage of all breast cancer surgeries during the study period; 75 % of patients who underwent BCS + R had a T1 or T2 tumor. There was no difference in the use of BCS + R compared with BCS for any quadrant of the breast except the lower outer quadrant (11.1 vs. 6.8 %; p < .0001). BCS + R had a lower rate of seroma formation (13.4 vs. 18 %; p = .002) and positive or close margins compared with BCS (5.8 vs. 8.3 %; p = .04). There was no difference in overall survival or recurrence-free survival when comparing BCS and BCS + R. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing BCS + R are not disadvantaged in terms of complications and short-term (3-year) outcomes compared with BCS patients or patients who underwent TM.

Autoderm: an alternative bioprosthetic for breast reconstruction.

The widespread use of bioprosthetic mesh in breast reconstruction has revealed an increased risk of seroma and infection, and a high financial cost. This study introduces a technique that mitigates these shortcomings using an autologous dermal graft (Autoderm). Indications, operative technique, and 1-year outcomes are reviewed. Thirty-six breasts in 21 patients underwent six unilateral and 15 bilateral, implant-based breast reconstructions with Autoderm. Mean follow-up was 365 days (range, 273 to 575 days). The overall complication rate was 13.9 percent. No patients developed breast cellulitis, hyperemia, periprosthetic infection, or seroma. There was one implant exposure following expansion. Autoderm provides the advantages of lower pole support and breast shaping, without the disadvantages of increased infection, seroma, and the high cost associated with allograft and xenograft meshes.

Composite extremity and trunk reconstruction with vascularized fibula flap in postoncologic bone defects: a 10-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining good functional outcomes with reconstruction following resection of primary bone tumors of the trunk and extremities is a significant challenge. The authors present their reconstructive experience using vascularized fibula flap transfer to improve bone healing and optimize functional outcomes. METHODS: From 2001 to 2010, 52 consecutive patients received 53 fibula flaps for trunk (n = 19), lower extremity (n = 21), and upper extremity (n = 13) composite reconstructions. RESULTS: Extremity segmental bone defects were repaired using an intramedullary (n = 14) or onlay technique (n = 20), and pelvic ring defects were repaired using double-barrel struts (n = 16). There were three spinal defect reconstructions. Growth plate transfer with vascularized fibula was used in pediatric patients (n = 5). The mean follow-up time was 36.8 months. There were no flap losses. Complications included delayed wound healing (7.5 percent), infection (1.8 percent), and hardware failure (1.8 percent). Bony unions were achieved in 94.3 percent of patients, with a mean time of 2.8 months (range, 1.5 to 5 months) to initial bony bridging and 5.4 months (range, 1.5 to 12 months) to final bony union. All upper extremity patients were able to use their reconstructed limb. All trunk and lower extremity patients were able to ambulate. CONCLUSION: Reconstructions with vascularized fibula flaps can result in a high rate of bone union and short healing time, facilitate early ambulation, provide good functional outcomes, improve quality of life, and avoid debilitating amputations. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction of the proximal part of the tibia. An analysis of the early results.

BACKGROUND: Allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction of the proximal part of the tibia is one option following resection of a skeletal tumor. Previous studies with use of this technique have found a high prevalence of complications, including fracture, infection, extensor mechanism insufficiency, and loosening. To address some of these problems, we adopted certain measures, including muscle flap coverage, meticulous tendon reconstruction, rigid implant fixation, and careful rehabilitation. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the functional outcome and complications in patients undergoing allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction of the proximal part of the tibia. METHODS: Twelve patients who underwent allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction of the proximal part of the tibia after tumor resection were retrospectively evaluated at a median follow-up of forty-nine months. Clinical records and radiographs were reviewed to evaluate patient outcome, healing at the allograft-host junction, function, construct survival, and complications. RESULTS: Nine patients had no extensor lag, and three patients had 5 degrees to 15 degrees of extensor lag. The mean amount of knee flexion was 103 degrees (range, 60 degrees to 120 degrees ). The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 24.3 (81%) of a maximum of 30. Complete bone union occurred in nine patients, and partial union occurred in three patients. At the time of writing, no secondary bone-grafting procedures had been required to achieve union, and no revision or removal of the reconstruction had been performed. Rotational or free flaps provided satisfactory wound coverage in all patients. A deep infection occurred in one patient whose allograft and prosthesis were successfully retained after treatment with surgical débridement and intravenous antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: After osteoarticular resection of destructive tumors of the proximal part of the tibia, an allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction can provide consistently good functional results with an acceptably low complication rate. Technical aspects of the procedure that may favorably affect outcome include soft-tissue coverage with muscle flaps and rigid fixation with a long-stemmed implant.

Reconstruction of the pelvic ring with vascularized double-strut fibular flap following internal hemipelvectomy.

BACKGROUND: After internal hemipelvectomy, successful pelvic reconstruction can provide a durable and pain-free reconstruction for the young, active patient. Such reconstruction is extremely challenging, and often patients have less than optimal ambulation with a limp, leg length discrepancy, or leg instability. The authors present an innovative method for pelvic ring reconstruction using a vascularized double-strut fibular bone flap that provides a stable pelvis and recovery of normal or near-normal gait. METHODS: From December of 2003 to November of 2005, six sarcoma patients underwent internal hemipelvectomy and pelvic ring reconstruction with a vascularized double-strut fibular bone flap. The length of each strut was 7 to 12 cm. RESULTS: All bone flaps survived. The mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 8 to 32 months). Radiographic evidence of bone bridging was seen at a mean of 2.5 months (range, 2 to 4 months). The mean time to ambulation without assistance was 8 months (range, 5 to 18 months). One patient died as a result of metastatic disease. The remaining five patients are ambulatory with a mild limp or no limp. CONCLUSION: Use of a vascularized double-strut fibular bone flap for pelvic ring reconstruction is effective in facilitating early ambulation and restoring normal to near-normal gait in patients undergoing internal hemipelvectomy.

Staged reconstruction for resection wounds in sarcoma patients treated with brachytherapy.

Adjuvant brachytherapy reduces local recurrences following wide local excision of large, high-grade sarcomas, but its use with immediate flap reconstruction is associated with a high wound complication rate following previous radiotherapy. To avoid flap irradiation and reduce wound-healing morbidity, a treatment strategy using negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for temporary wound coverage during brachytherapy followed by delayed flap reconstruction was used in 3 previously irradiated sarcoma patients. NPWT was continued after brachytherapy catheter removal to stimulate vascularization, granulation, and wound contraction. Flap reconstructions were performed after the adequacy of the resection margins was pathologically confirmed and the wound bed appeared grossly vascularized. Prior to reconstruction, 2 patients required additional excision of positive or close permanent-section surgical margins. There were no major wound-healing complications during 9-18 months' follow-up. Staged closure using this approach may have advantages over immediate flap reconstruction in some sarcoma patients. Potential advantages include avoiding flap irradiation, reducing wound size and magnitude of the reconstructive procedure, and ensuring tumor-free surgical margins before definitive reconstruction.