Extracorporeal Irradiation and Reimplantation of Tumor-bearing Bone Segments following Diaphyseal Sarcoma Resection at the Tibia

Abstract

Background/Aim: Reconstruction of diaphyseal tibial sarcomas with extracorporeal irradiated autograft is a rarely applied technique and is analyzed in this study. Patients and Methods: Eight patients with malignant sarcomas received local treatment by means of a wide resection and reimplantation of an extracorporeally-irradiated autograft. The graft was combined with an ipsilateral vascularized fibula when a full-thickness segment of the tibia had to be resected and no cortex could be preserved (n=5). Oncological and functional results were recorded. Results: All patients had clear margins after resection, and with no local recurrence 72 months after treatment. Full weight-bearing was allowed at the time of radiological consolidation of the irradiated grafts (after a median of five months). The functional results were good and excellent in 7 of 8 patients, respectively. Conclusion: Extracorporeal irradiation grafting is a suitable method for the treatment of localised and resectable tibial sarcomas.