Allograft Replacement of All or Part of the End of a Long Bone Following Excision of a Tumor

Abstract

In eleven years twenty-one patients with large tumors of the end of a long bone were treated by excision of the end of the bone with replacement by homologous deep-frozen cadaveric bone including an articular surface. The replacement was sterilized by bacitracin and neomycin. Fourteen tumors were giant-cell tumors, six were sarcomas, and one a fibroma. Sixteen patients still have their limbs, three had amputations, one died, and one was lost to follow-up. The functional status of the limbs varied extensively and several patients needed one or more re-operations.