PURPOSE: To analyze the results of surgical treatment for pathological fractures at the proximal femur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with a pathological fracture were included. The mean age was 65.7 years old. The patients comprised 8 males and 11 females. Primary tumors, types of pathological fractures, surgical procedures, and postoperative complications were recorded. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) functional score was used for functional evaluation. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine survival rate. RESULTS: The primary malignancies were 6 cases of breast cancer, 3 cases of lung cancer, 3 cases of renal cell carcinoma, 2 cases of cholangiocarcinoma, 2 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 1 case of esophageal cancer, 1 case of colon cancer, and 1 case of ovarian cancer. Pathological fractures included 8 cases of pertrochanteric fractures and 11 cases of subtrochanteric fractures. Intramedullary nailing was performed in 10 cases, and joint replacement surgery was performed in 9 cases. Postoperative complications included local recurrence in 1 case, infection in 1 case, and nail breakage in 1 case. The mean postoperative MSTS score was 21. The mean survival period was 10.6 months. Patient survival rates were 42.1% after 6 months, 26.3% after 12 months, and 10.5% after 24 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of pathological fractures at the proximal femur provided early ambulation, and excellent pain relief. The surgery was well tolerated emotionally. Surgery is necessary for improving the quality of life in such patients; however, more cases of pathological fractures in these regions should be subjected to detailed analysis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Nails ; Bone Neoplasms/*secondary/surgery ; Female ; Femoral Fractures/etiology/pathology/*surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/*methods ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Spontaneous/pathology/*surgery ; Hip Fractures/surgery ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery ; Neoplasms/complications/pathology/*surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Quality of Life ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To analyze the results of surgical treatment for pathological fractures at the proximal femur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with a pathological fracture were included. The mean age was 65.7 years old. The patients comprised 8 males and 11 females. Primary tumors, types of pathological fractures, surgical procedures, and postoperative complications were recorded. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) functional score was used for functional evaluation. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine survival rate. RESULTS: The primary malignancies were 6 cases of breast cancer, 3 cases of lung cancer, 3 cases of renal cell carcinoma, 2 cases of cholangiocarcinoma, 2 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 1 case of esophageal cancer, 1 case of colon cancer, and 1 case of ovarian cancer. Pathological fractures included 8 cases of pertrochanteric fractures and 11 cases of subtrochanteric fractures. Intramedullary nailing was performed in 10 cases, and joint replacement surgery was performed in 9 cases. Postoperative complications included local recurrence in 1 case, infection in 1 case, and nail breakage in 1 case. The mean postoperative MSTS score was 21. The mean survival period was 10.6 months. Patient survival rates were 42.1% after 6 months, 26.3% after 12 months, and 10.5% after 24 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of pathological fractures at the proximal femur provided early ambulation, and excellent pain relief. The surgery was well tolerated emotionally. Surgery is necessary for improving the quality of life in such patients; however, more cases of pathological fractures in these regions should be subjected to detailed analysis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Nails ; Bone Neoplasms/*secondary/surgery ; Female ; Femoral Fractures/etiology/pathology/*surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/*methods ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Spontaneous/pathology/*surgery ; Hip Fractures/surgery ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery ; Neoplasms/complications/pathology/*surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Quality of Life ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDRecent studies have suggested that the presence of a pathological fracture does not impact on oncologic outcomes and the feasibility of limb salvage surgery (LSS) in appropriately selected patients when combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. These have largely been single institutional studies with limited numbers. The Eastern Asian Musculoskeletal Oncology Group reviewed the data from three large volume Asian orthopedic oncology centers to determine whether the presence of a pathologic fracture affected outcomes in osteosarcoma patients.

METHODSA retrospective review of the data was conducted. Ninety-five cases of nonmetastatic extremity osteosarcoma with a pathological fracture and 887 cases without fracture treated during the same period were compared.

RESULTSIn the fracture group, the LSS rate was 62.1%, and the rate of amputation was 37.9%. In the nonfracture group, the LSS rate was 74.7%, and the amputation was 25.3%. In patients with a pathologic fracture, the rate of local recurrence for LSS and amputation groups was 8.5% and 2.8%, respectively. In this group, the 5-year survival in the LSS group was 66% as against. 46.8% in the amputation group.

CONCLUSIONSOur study suggests that surgically treated patients with pathologic fractures in osteosarcoma have adequate local control and do not have a poorer outcome compared to patients without a fracture. Though osteosarcoma with a pathologic fracture is not a contraindication for limb salvage, appropriate case selection is important when deciding local control options to ensure adequate oncologic clearance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Extremities ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Limb Salvage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; complications ; surgery ; Osteosarcoma ; complications ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Adult ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; etiology ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; etiology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; complications

A young woman with severe vitamin D deficiency presented with proximal muscle weakness, fragility fracture and pseudoarthrosis. On evaluation, she was found to have hypercalcaemia, a single parathyroid adenoma and an undetectable 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. She received parenteral cholecalciferol and subsequently underwent curative parathyroidectomy. Postoperatively, she had hungry bone syndrome, which she gradually recovered from with calcium and calcitriol replacement. Notably, her calcium levels were in the lower limit of normal range and associated with elevated alkaline phosphatase levels at postoperative Day 14. Follow-up for the next four years showed that the patient had remarkable symptomatic and radiological improvements. In this report, we discuss the pathophysiological interactions between vitamin D deficiency and associated primary hyperparathyroidism.
Adenoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Low Back Pain ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Muscle Weakness ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Parathyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Parathyroidectomy ; methods ; Pseudarthrosis ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Radiography ; Severity of Illness Index ; Singapore ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; complications ; diagnosis

BACKGROUND: We are presenting our experience in the use of locking compression plate (LCP) after juxta-articular oncological resections in addition to its use in pathologic fracture. METHODS: A retrospective audit of skeletal reconstruction using LCP in 25 cases of long bone tumors was performed from 2008 to 2010. Reconstruction following limb salvage surgery was done in 17 patients and internal fixation of pathological fracture was done in 8 patients. All patients were available for > 12 months of follow-up, and thus assessed for union at the resected ends. RESULTS: There were 8 males and 17 females in the study. The average age at the time of surgery was 30 years (range, 9 to 66 years). The minimum follow-up was 12 months (range, 12 to 32 months). All patients except three went on to heal successfully. Complications occurred in those three patients: wound infection in one, nonunion in another, and periprosthetic fracture in the other patient. In the remaining patients, union was achieved at an average of 6.5 months after reconstruction in curative resection and 4.75 months after fixation of pathological fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Joint sparing limb salvage surgery was made successfully possible after sekeletal reconstruction with LCP. Its use was also quite effective in pathological fractures with poor bone quality. Use of locking plates for musculoskeletal oncological reconstruction resulted in a good and predictable rate of union.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Neoplasms/complications/radiography/*surgery ; Bone Plates ; Child ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous/etiology/radiography/*surgery ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDPathological fractures signify a potentially more aggressive subset of the original disease with higher misdiagnosis rates and inferior oncologic results. The purpose of the present study was to explore the clinical features of neoplastic pathological fracture in extremities.

METHODSFrom August 2002 to December 2010, a consecutive series of 139 patients suffering neoplastic pathological fracture were recruited, including 79 males and 60 females with a mean age of 31.3 years. Fractures were classified into five groups: tumor-like lesions (55), benign bone tumors (13), giant cell tumors (7), primary malignant bone tumors (28), and metastatic bone tumors (36). Based on their inducing forces, pathologic fractures were classified into four grades: spontaneous fracture, functional fracture, minor injury, and traumatic injury. Patients' age, fracture site, histological diagnoses, fracture forces, prodromes, and misdiagnosis were well reviewed. Kruskal-Wallis and χ(2) tests were used to compare forces and prodromes within different types of bone tumors.

RESULTSThe highest pathologic fracture morbidity was 32.3% (45/139), which lay in the 11 - 20 year group, and 86.1% of metastatic tumors occurred in the 50 - 80 year group. The common sites of fractures were femur, humerus, and tibia. The fracture forces in benign bone tumors and tumor-like lesions are the strongest, followed by metastatic tumors and primary malignant bone tumors (H(C) = 80.980, P = 0.000). Sixty-seven patients (48.2%) had local prodromes before pathologic fracture. The incidence rates of prodromes between primary malignant tumors and metastatic bone tumors had no significant difference (P = 0.146), but they were all obviously higher than that of benign bone tumors and tumor-like lesions. Twenty patients experienced misdiagnosis.

CONCLUSIONMinor injury forces and local prodromes are clinical features of neoplastic pathologic fractures and they are also the critical factor avoiding misdiagnoses.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; etiology ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; complications ; Humans ; Paralysis ; etiology ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology

PURPOSE: The skeleton is commonly affected by metastatic cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of treating metastatic pathologic fractures in lower extremities using locking plates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2004 and 2010, we evaluated 12 patients (13 cases) of metastatic pathologic fractures in lower extremities, treated with the locking plate. Mean patient age was 62.2 years (range, 50-81 years), the locations of the fractures were; proximal femur in 2 cases, femoral mid-shaft in 3, distal femur in 3, proximal tibia in 4, and distal tibia in 1 case. The interval to wheelchair ambulation, pain relief and complications were evaluated. Additionally, we assessed operation time and postoperative blood loss. RESULTS: Mean time from operation to wheelchair ambulation was 3.2 days (range, 1-6 days). Mean VAS scores improved from a preoperative score of 8.1 points (range, 7-9 points) to a score of 2.7 points (range, 2-4 points) at 1 week postoperatively. No early complications associated with surgery were encountered. Mean operation time was 88.4 minutes (range, 70-105 minutes), and mean postoperative blood loss was 246.5 ml (range, 130-320 ml). CONCLUSION: Internal fixation of metastatic pathologic fractures using a locking plate in the lower extremity can be an effective treatment option in the meta- or diaphyseal area of long bones with massive bony destruction or poor bone stock by offering early ambulation, pain relief and low postoperative complications.
Early Ambulation ; Femur ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Skeleton ; Tibia ; Walking ; Wheelchairs

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects and complications in treating osteoporotic vertebral fractures with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and in order to found the cause and countermeasures of the complications.

METHODSFrom March 2006 to March 2007, 31 patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures were treated with unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty. There were 11 males and 20 females, ranging in age from 54 to 91 years with the mean of 81 years. All patients were followed up for more than three years. At pre-treatment and postoperatively immediately, 1, 2, 3 years after PKP, the height of anterior vertebral body and thoracic-lumbar and back pain were respectively analyzed by imaging data and VAS scoring.

RESULTSAt pre-treatment and postoperatively immediately, 1, 2, 3 years after PKP, the height of anterior vertebral body were (0.9 +/- 0.2), (2.6 +/- 0.3), (2.6 +/- 0.2), (2.5 +/- 0.7), (2.5 +/- 0.4) cm, respectively; the VAS soring were (7.6 +/- 1.4), (2.3 +/- 0.7), (2.4 +/- 0.5), (2.8 +/- 0.3), (3.1 +/- 0.2) scores, respectively. The height of anterior vertebral body recoveried obviously after PKP (P < 0.05); following prolongation of time, the height of anterior vertebral body gradually reduced (P > 0.05). The thoracic-lumbar and back pain relieved obviously after PKP (P < 0.05); following prolongation of time, the pain gradually aggratated, but there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). At final follow up, reinforced vertebral re-fractures was found in 2 cases, adjacent vertebral fractures in 6 cases, distal vertebral fractures in 2 cases, asymptomatic degeneration of adjacent intervertebral in 5 cases.

CONCLUSIONPKP have definite and early effects in treating osteoporotic vertebral fractures. But in mid-stage after PKP, the height of anterior vertebral body reduce and the pain aggravate gradually, especially degenerative adjacent vertebral fracture advent. Strict choosing the candidate of the precedure, improvement of materials of perfusion and reducing of volume of bone cement maybe can decrease incidence rate of complications.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Cements ; adverse effects ; Contraindications ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; adverse effects ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; surgery ; Pain ; etiology ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebroplasty ; methods