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Reconstruction of the abductor mechanism remains a primary challenge with contemporary proximal femoral replacement (PFR) surgery. Previously, techniques such as trochanteric preservation or direct repair to the implant have been described; however, these strategies are limited in their ability to tension the repair and reattach other muscles of the hip girdle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients undergoing oncologic PFR using a novel technique of mesh augmentation for soft tissue repair. Methods: We reviewed 18 (mean age 64 years; 8 female: 10 male) consecutive patients undergoing PFR with Marlex mesh augmentation between 2018 and 2023 at a single institution. The most common indication was metastatic disease (n = 13). The mean follow-up in the 14 surviving patients was 27 months (range 12–34). Results: All patients were ambulatory at final follow-up. There were no post-operative dislocations, infections, or wound issues. At the final follow-up, the mean total MSTS score was 77%. Conclusion: Mesh augmentation of PFRs allowed for adequate soft tissue tensioning and muscular attachment to the body of the implant. In our series, this technique was durable, with no dislocations and no mesh-related complications. In summary, mesh augmentation of PFRs may be considered during reconstruction for oncologic indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Unplanned excision of soft tissue sarcoma presents a challenge for treating physicians, both in terms of prognostication and management. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes and factors associated with recurrence and survival among patients with synovial sarcoma who were diagnosed after unplanned excision. We found that synovial sarcoma is initially excised in a non-oncologic fashion at a high rate, and those who had residual tumor on re-excision fared worse than those without residual tumor. We suggest that margin-negative re-resection and radiotherapy be strongly considered for those who previously have undergone unplanned excision of synovial sarcoma. Background: Synovial sarcoma is rare and may present as a small, slow-growing mass. These tumors are often mistaken as benign and are therefore prone to unplanned and/or non-oncologic excision. We sought to identify the rate of unplanned excision of synovial sarcoma and risk factors for recurrence and survival among this cohort. Methods: The medical records of 246 patients evaluated at a single institution for synovial sarcoma between 1997 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 87 (35%) underwent unplanned, non-oncologic excision. The mean age of the cohort was 49 years. Primary tumors were located in the extremity (n = 63), abdomen (n = 6), thorax (n = 7), head/neck (n = 8), and paraspinal region (n = 3). The median maximum pre-treatment dimension of the primary tumor was 4.8 cm (IQR 7–2.4). Seventy-seven (86%) patients underwent re-excision of the tumor bed, 39 (45%) received chemotherapy, and 63 (72%) received radiation therapy. Results: Among patients who underwent unplanned excision, local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was 98% at 1 year and 82% at 5 years. Metastasis-free survival (MFS) was 91% at 1 year and 72% at 5 years. Disease-specific survival (DSS) was 98% at 1 year and 72% at 5 years. When adjusting for tumor size, tumors which underwent unplanned excision did not have worse recurrence or survival compared to those which had planned excision (p > 0.10). Size > 5 cm, monophasic subtype, and axial location were associated with increased risk of disease recurrence. Forty-six patients had residual tumor following re-excision, which was associated with worse MFS (HR 8.17, 95% CI [1.89, 35.2], p < 0.01) and DSS (HR 7.66, 95% CI [1.76, 33.4], p < 0.01). Patients who received radiotherapy had improved MFS (HR 6.4, 95% CI [1.42, 29.0], p = 0.02) and DSS (HR 5.86, 95% CI [1.27, 26.9], p = 0.02). Conclusions: One-third of patients presenting with synovial sarcoma were diagnosed after unplanned, non-oncologic excision. Patients with large, axial tumors had worse survival. Approximately half of patients who underwent unplanned excision had no residual tumor after pre-operative radiation. The use of radiation was associated with decreased rates of recurrence and improved disease-specific survival. Our results suggest that margin-negative re-resection and radiotherapy should be considered when feasible following unplanned excision of synovial sarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Objectives: To compare complication incidence in patients with or without the use of recombinant human Bone Morphogenic Protein-2 (BMP2) undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for degenerative conditions. Methods: A systematic search of eight online databases was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria included English language studies with a minimum of 10 adult patients undergoing instrumented ACDF surgery for a degenerative spinal condition in which BMP2 was used in all patients or one of the treatment arms. Studies with patients undergoing circumferential fusions, with non-degenerative indications, or which did not report post-operative complication data were excluded. Patients with and without BMP2 were compared in terms of the incidence of dysphagia/dysphonia, anterior soft tissue complications (hematoma, seroma, infection, dysphagia/dysphonia), nonunion, medical complications, and new neurologic deficits. Results: Of 1832 preliminary search results, 27 manuscripts were included. Meta-analysis revealed the relative risk of dysphagia or dysphonia (RR = 1.39, CI 95% 1.18 – 1.64, P = <.001), anterior soft tissue complications (RR = 1.43, CI 95% 1.25-1.64, P = <.001), and medical complications (RR = 1.32, CI 95% 1.06-1.66, P =.013) were statistically significant in the BMP2 group while the relative risk of non-union (RR =.5, CI 95%.23 - 1.13, P =.09) trended lower in the BMP2 group. Neurological deficit (RR = 1.06, CI 95%.82-1.37, P =.66), and additional medical complications (RR = 1.53, CI 95%.98-2.38, P =.06) were not found to be statistically different between the groups. Conclusions: This meta-analysis identified a high rate of arthrodesis when BMP2 was used in ACDF, but confirmed increased rates of dysphagia and anterior soft tissue complications. Surgeons may consider reserving BMP2 implementation for cases with a high risk of non-union, and should be aware of the risk of airway compromise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fixation of comminuted femur fractures may result in limb length discrepancy. Intraoperative fluoroscopic measurement of the contra-lateral femur with a ruler is commonly performed to establish a reference for femoral length. No evidence regarding the reliability and accuracy of this technique exists. This study aimed to assess the accuracy and interrater reliability of a fluoroscopic ruler in obtaining correct femoral length in a comminuted femoral shaft fracture model., Materials and Methods: Approximately 5 cm of bone was removed from the left femoral diaphyses of 8 cadavers. Seven orthopedic surgery residents and 2 attendings measured the length of the intact contralateral femur using a ruler under fluoroscopy. The ruler was then applied to the "fractured" femur with manual traction applied until femoral length matched the measured length of the contralateral femur. The resulting gap in the "fractured" femur was compared with the length of bone that had been resected. Data were analyzed using means, SDs, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs)., Results: Fifty-seven measurements were collected. The mean difference between the measured fracture gap and the length of bone removed was 8.0±5.8 mm (range, 0-22 mm). Femoral length was accurate to 5 mm in 40% of cases, 10 mm in 70%, 15 mm in 81%, 20 mm in 98%, and 25 mm in 100%. The overall interrater reliability was poor (ICC, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.001-0.44)., Conclusion: Despite poor interrater reliability, the fluoroscopic ruler resulted in a mean leg length discrepancy of 8.0±5.8 mm in this cadaveric study. [ Orthopedics . 202x;4x(x):xx-xx.].

Aims: Venous tumour thrombus (VTT) is a rare finding in osteosarcoma. Despite the high rate of VTT in osteosarcoma of the pelvis, there are very few descriptions of VTT associated with extrapelvic primary osteosarcoma. We therefore sought to describe the prevalence and presenting features of VTT in osteosarcoma of both the pelvis and the limbs., Methods: Records from a single institution were retrospectively reviewed for 308 patients with osteosarcoma of the pelvis or limb treated between January 2000 and December 2022. Primary lesions were located in an upper limb (n = 40), lower limb (n = 198), or pelvis (n = 70). Preoperative imaging and operative reports were reviewed to identify patients with thrombi in proximity to their primary lesion. Imaging and histopathology were used to determine presence of tumour within the thrombus., Results: Tumours abutted the blood vessels in 131 patients (43%) and encased the vessels in 30 (10%). Any form of venous thrombus was identified in 31 patients (10%). Overall, 21 of these thrombi were determined to be involved with the tumour based on imaging (n = 9) or histopathology (n = 12). The rate of VTT was 25% for pelvic osteosarcoma and 1.7% for limb osteosarcoma. The most common imaging features associated with histopathologically proven VTT were enhancement with contrast (n = 12; 100%), venous enlargement (n = 10; 83%), vessel encasement (n = 8; 66%), and visible intraluminal osteoid matrix (n = 6; 50%). Disease-specific survival (DSS) for patients with VTT was 95% at 12 months (95% CI 0.87 to 1.00), 50% at three years (95% CI 0.31 to 0.80), and 31% at five years (95% CI 0.14 to 0.71). VTT was associated with worse DSS (hazard ratio 2.3 (95% CI 1.11 to 4.84)., Conclusion: VTT is rare with osteosarcoma and occurs more commonly in the pelvis than the limbs. Imaging features suggestive of VTT include enhancement with contrast, venous dilation, and vessel encasement. VTT portends a worse prognosis for patients with osteosarcoma, with a similar survivability to metastatic disease., Competing Interests: None declared., (© 2024 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Aims: The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is the only mechanical connection between the axial skeleton and lower limbs. Following iliosacral resection, there is debate on whether reconstruction of the joint is necessary. There is a paucity of data comparing the outcomes of patients undergoing reconstruction and those who are not formally reconstructed., Methods: A total of 60 patients (25 females, 35 males; mean age 39 years (SD 18)) undergoing iliosacral resection were reviewed. Most resections were performed for primary malignant tumours (n = 54; 90%). The mean follow-up for surviving patients was nine years (2 to 19)., Results: Overall, 27 patients (45%) were reconstructed, while 33 (55%) had no formal reconstruction. There was no difference in the use of chemotherapy (p = 1.000) or radiotherapy (p = 0.292) between the groups. Patients with no reconstruction had a mean larger tumour (11 cm (SD 5) vs 8 cm (SD 4); p = 0.014), mean shorter operating times (664 mins (SD 195) vs 1,324 mins (SD 381); p = 0.012), and required fewer blood units (8 (SD 7) vs 14 (SD 11); p = 0.012). Patients undergoing a reconstruction were more likely to have a deep infection (48% vs 12%; p = 0.003). Nine reconstructed patients had a hardware failure, with five requiring revision. Postoperatively 55 (92%) patients were ambulatory, with no difference in the proportion of ambulatory patients (89% vs 94%; p = 0.649) or mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score (59% vs 65%; p = 0.349) score between patients who did or did not have a reconstruction. The ten-year disease-specific survival was 69%, with no difference between patients who were reconstructed and those who were not (78% vs 45%; p = 0.316). There was no difference in the rate of metastasis between the two groups (hazard ratio (HR) 2.78; p = 0.102)., Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that SIJ reconstruction is associated with longer operating times, greater need for blood transfusion, and more postoperative infections, without any improvement in functional outcomes when compared to patients who did not have formal SIJ reconstruction., Competing Interests: M. T. Houdek reports consulting fees from Link Orthopaedics, unrelated to this study. M. T. Houdek also reports leadership or a fiduciary role, paid or unpaid, for the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, Connective Tissue Oncology Society, and Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration. P. S. Rose reports leadership or a fiduciary role, paid or unpaid, for the International Society of Limb Salvage and the Sacral Tumor Study Group, and is Editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons., (© 2024 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Aims: The scapula is a rare site for a primary bone tumour. Only a small number of series have studied patient outcomes after treatment. Previous studies have shown a high rate of recurrence, with functional outcomes determined by the preservation of the glenohumeral joint and deltoid. The purpose of the current study was to report the outcome of patients who had undergone tumour resection that included the scapula., Methods: We reviewed 61 patients (37 male, 24 female; mean age 42 years (SD 19)) who had undergone resection of the scapula. The most common resection was type 2 (n = 34) according to the Tikhoff-Linberg classification, or type S1A (n = 35) on the Enneking classification., Results: The ten-year disease-specific survival was 76%. High tumour grade (hazard ratio (HR) 4.27; p = 0.016) and a total resection of the scapula (HR 3.84; p = 0.015) were associated with worse survival. The ten-year metastasis-free and local recurrence-free survivals were 82% and 86%, respectively. Total scapular resection (HR 6.29; p = 0.004) was associated with metastatic disease and positive margins were associated with local recurrence (HR 12.86; p = 0.001). At final follow-up, the mean shoulder forward elevation and external rotation were 79° (SD 62°) and 27° (SD 25°), respectively. The most recent functional outcomes evaluated included the mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score (76% (SD 17%)), the American Shoulder and Elbow Score (73% (SD 20%)), and the Simple Shoulder Test (7 (SD 3)). Preservation of the glenoid (p = 0.001) and scapular spine (p < 0.001) improved clinical outcomes; interestingly, preservation of the scapular spine without the glenoid improved outcomes (p < 0.001) compared to preservation of the glenoid alone (p = 0.05)., Conclusion: Resection of the scapula is a major undertaking with an oncological outcome related to tumour grade, and a functional outcome associated with the status of the scapular spine and glenoid. Positive resection margins are associated with local recurrence., Competing Interests: J. D. Barlow reports personal and institutional royalties and consulting payments from Stryker, unrelated to this study. M. Houdek reports consulting payments from Link Orthopedics, unrelated to this study, and a leadership or fiduciary role in the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, the Connective Tissue Oncology Society, and the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration. P. S. Rose reports a leadership or fiduciary role in the International Society of Limb Salvage, the Sacral Tumor Study Group, and the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. J. Sanchez-Sotelo reports grants from Stryker, royalties from Stryker, Oxford University Press, and Elsevier, consulting payments from Stryker, Acumed, and Exactech, speaker payments from the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, a leadership or fiduciary role in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, and stock or stock options in Precision OS, Orthobullets, and PSI, all of which are unrelated to this study. E. Wagner reports consulting fees from Stryker, Zimmer Biomet, Acumed, and Osteoremedies, all of which are unrelated to this study., (© 2023 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Background/aim: Skin cancers are the most common malignancy of the hand and wrist. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive non-melanoma skin cancer arising from cutaneous neuroendocrine cells and is known for local and distant recurrence. The purpose of the current study was to examine the treatment outcome of patients with MCC of the hand and wrist., Patients and Methods: We reviewed 25 patients (18 males:7 females) with MCC that occurred in the hand and wrist. The mean age at the time of biopsy of 71±11 years., Results: Tumors were located on the hand (n=13), finger/thumb (n=9), and wrist (n=3). Local control included wide local excision (n=22). This included 21 non-amputation resections and one 5 th digit ray amputation. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 21 patients with positive nodal disease in seven cases. Adjuvant radiotherapy was delivered to the primary site in 17 patients and additionally to the regional lymph node basin in six patients. Recurrence within five years was noted in 40% of patients (mean time to recurrence 18.4±20.6 months). Recurrence-free and disease-specific survival rates at 5-years were 54.8% and 67.6%., Conclusion: MCC is a rare cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma with a high propensity for regional nodal spread. Despite aggressive local treatment, adjuvant radiotherapy to the primary site and regional nodes, MCC of the hand and wrist has a high rate of recurrence and mortality within five years of diagnosis., (Copyright © 2023 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)