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. 2020 Aug 18;12(2):8577.
doi: 10.4081/or.2020.8577. eCollection 2020 Aug 6.

Radiation therapy for the prevention of heterotopic ossification: Efficacy and toxicity of single fraction radiotherapy

Ioannis Georhakopoulos  1 , Vasilios Kouloulias  1 , Andromachi Kougiountzopoulou  1 , Kalliopi Platoni  1 , Christos Antypas  2 , Zoi Liakouli  2 , Stiliani Nikoloudi  2 , Nikolaos Kelekis  1 , Lia Evangelia Moulopoulou  2 , Anna Zygogianni  2
Affiliations

Radiation therapy for the prevention of heterotopic ossification: Efficacy and toxicity of single fraction radiotherapy

Ioannis Georhakopoulos et al. Orthop Rev (Pavia). .

Abstract

Numerous nonmalignant diseases can be treated with radiation therapy (RT). Among them, Heterotopic Ossification (HO) is a benign condition resulting from several causes that can be successfully managed with ionizing radiation. More often seen in the hip area after major surgical procedures, HO is of major concern as it can lead to functional disorders, pain and even to joint ankylosis. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of therapeutic irradiation for the prevention of HO in 14 patients treated in our hospital between 2005 and 2011. All patients were irradiated with a dose ranging from 7 to10 Gy in a single fraction for prevention of HO after surgery. After a median follow up of 126 months (range 96 - 156 months) none of our patients developed HO. Impaired wound healing or other post surgery complications like trochanteric nonunion were not observed. A single fraction of RT seems to be a sufficient, cost effective and safe treatment regimen. In our study we report excellent results as none of our patients developed HO.

Keywords: heterotopic ossification; radiation therapy; single fraction.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: the authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Axial image at the level of isocenter with isodose distribution. Treatment delivered via a 2100C linac accelerator with opposed anterioposterior and posterioanterior fields with 6 megavolt (6MV) photons prescribeda to midplane.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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