Pasteurized intercalary autogenous bone graft combined with vascularized fibula

Abstract

The optimal reconstruction procedure after wide resection of bone tumors is debatable. We reviewed pasteurized intercalary autogenous bone graft combined with a vascularized fibula graft in 15 patients with malignant bone tumors, and assessed whether this procedure would improve bone union and function. The mean duration until bone union of the pasteurized autogenous bone was 13.5 months and duration until union of the vascularized fibula was 7.7 months. Complete bone union between the pasteurized autogenous bone and the vascularized fibula eventually was achieved in 13 patients (86.7%). In the remaining two patients, fibula union was achieved but union of the pasteurized autogenous bone was not attributable to infection. Postoperative complications included two fractures and two infections. Three patients with delayed union eventually achieved bone union using an autogenous cancellous bone graft. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 80.6% and it was comparable to scores from other procedures. Our results suggest a pasteurized autogenous bone graft combined with a vascularized fibula graft can be a useful reconstruction method in selected patients with large bone defects after wide resection of malignant bone tumors.