Citation Information :
Copp J, Magister S, Napora J, Getty P, Sontich J. Dual Magnetically Expandable Intramedullary Nails for Treatment of a Large Bony Defect in a Patient with Sarcoma: A Case Report. 2022; 17 (3):189-194.
Aim: To describe the surgical technique of performing an all-internal lengthening to address a large diaphyseal femur defect in the sarcoma patient.
Background: Various strategies exist to address large intercalary bone defects with various biomechanical and biological implications.
Case description: A 23-year-old female with high-grade osteosarcoma of her left femur underwent wide resection and an internal reconstruction of a 12.5-cm femoral defect using dual magnetic lengthening intramedullary nails resulting in restoration of leg lengths, and pre-resection function with minimal residual disability.
Conclusion: Preoperative chemotherapy, wide resection and post-operative chemotherapy for osteosarcoma are the current standard of care. Resection often leads to large bone defects requiring complex reconstruction. Following intercalary bone resection, biological reconstruction is a consideration. An all-inside technique was developed in an effort to minimise complications of long-term external fixation for distraction osteogenesis, or extensile secondary grafting procedures for induced membrane strategy.
Clinical significance: This previously unreported surgical technique allows for an all-internal lengthening of large diaphyseal bone defects. While specifically used in an oncologic post-resection setting, this technique is applicable to the broader limb reconstruction and lengthening practice and overcomes some inherent limitations to previously described techniques.
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