Background/aim: We analyzed the process of healing at osteotomy sites and timing of achievement of full weight-bearing in sarcoma patients who underwent hemicortical or intercalary reconstruction using the extracorporeal irradiated autologous bone graft technique.
Patients and methods: We studied 10 patients who had undergone tumor resection and reconstruction with hemicortical extracorporeal irradiated autologous bone graft at mid-shaft femur or tibia. The control group consisted of 30 patients who received the reconstruction using intercalary bone graft.
Results: Full weight-bearing was achieved in all 10 patients at a median time of 4.8 months. Function was excellent in all patients. When comparing the clinical outcome among the patients who received intercalary and hemicortical grafts, the duration to full weight-bearing achievement in patients who received hemicortical graft was shorter than that in those with intercalary graft.
Conclusion: Early full weight-bearing may be achieved in patients undergoing hemicortical resection and reconstruction using extracorporeal irradiated autologous bone graft.
Keywords: Extracorporeal irradiation; autologous bone graft; hemicortical; sarcoma; weight-bearing.
Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.