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Limb Salvage Using Liquid Nitrogen-Treated Tumour-Bearing Autograft: A Single Institutional Experience of 10 Patients

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Abstract

Background

Many reconstruction methods have evolved to offer limb salvage surgery (LSS) to patients with musculoskeletal sarcomas. It can be achieved using endoprosthesis or biological reconstruction methods like allograft or autograft or a combination of both. In carefully selected patients, resected bone can be recycled and reimplanted after sterilisation using methods like irradiation, autoclaving, pasteurisation or liquid nitrogen.

Methods

From 2010 to 2016, 10 patients with primary musculoskeletal sarcoma underwent limb salvage surgery (LSS) by wide resection of the tumour and reconstruction using recycled autograft treated with liquid nitrogen. Intercalary resection was carried out in six patients and intra-articular in four. The resected bone was dipped in liquid nitrogen for 25 min, thawed at room temperature for 15 min followed by dipping in vancomycin-mixed saline for 10 min. The recycled bone was re-implanted into its original site and stabilised with internal fixation.

Results

At a mean follow-up period of 39.6 months (range 6–97 months), all patients had a good function (mean functional score of 80%) with no evidence of local recurrence in the re-implanted bone or otherwise. Union was achieved at 15 of the 16 osteotomy sites with a mean union time of 5.2 months (range 4–7 months) without any additional surgical interventions. In none of the patient, augmentation with vascularised/non-vascularised fibula was done. No complication like fracture of the autograft, implant failure or deep/superficial infection was reported in any patient.

Conclusion

Recycled tumour-bearing autograft after treatment with liquid nitrogen is an anatomical, cost-effective, relatively simpler and reliable technique for reconstruction of bone defect after resection in selective primary musculoskeletal sarcoma patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    Sudhir Kumar Garg, Jagandeep Virk & Rohit Jindal

  2. Department of Radiodiagnosis, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    Purnima Aggarwal

  3. Department of Pathology, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    R. P. S. Punia

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, 160030, India

    Kislay Dimri

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  1. Sudhir Kumar Garg
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Contributions

SKG: designed the study, chief surgeon in all the cases, contributed in editing and proof reading the manuscript; PA: radiologist in all cases and carried out imaging studies. Contributed in writing the manuscript; JV: contributed in data collection, literature review and drafting of manuscript; RPSP: pathologist in all cases. Contributed in editing and proof reading the manuscript; KD: oncologist in all cases. Contributed in editing and proof reading the manuscript; RJ: contributed in editing and proof reading the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sudhir Kumar Garg.

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Garg, S.K., Aggarwal, P., Virk, J. et al. Limb Salvage Using Liquid Nitrogen-Treated Tumour-Bearing Autograft: A Single Institutional Experience of 10 Patients. JOIO 54, 200–207 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43465-019-00001-9

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