Treating giant cell tumours with curettage, electrocautery, burring, phenol irrigation, and cementation

Abstract

PURPOSE. To report on 23 patients with giant cell tumour (GCT) of the femur or tibia treated with curettage, electrocautery, burring, phenol irrigation, and cementation. METHODS. Records of these 14 men and 9 women aged 22 to 38 (mean, 31) years were reviewed. The most common site involved was the distal femur (n=13), followed by proximal tibia (n=8), proximal femur (n=1), and distal tibia (n=1). The lesions were classified as grade I (n=3), grade II (n=18), and grade III (n=2). Based on histology, the tumour stage was classified as grade I (n=5) and grade II (n=18). Two of these patients had recurrences, which were initially treated with simple curettage and bone grafting of the distal femur and distal tibia. RESULTS. The mean follow-up period was 5.7 (range, 2.5-10.1) years. 14 of the 23 patients were followed up for over 10 years. No patient developed any local recurrence, remote metastasis, or complication related to surgery or adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSION. Combined treatment entailing curettage, electrocautery, burring, phenol irrigation, and cementation was effective in treating GCT of bone.

Keywords: cautery; cementation; curettage; giant cell tumor of bone; phenol.