INTERCALARY BONE ALLOGRAFTS IN THE TREATM ENT OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BONE-TUMORS

From 1981 to 1995, 22 patients received intercalary bone allografts fo r reconstruction of the extremity after en bloc tumor resection (16 ma lignant, six benign lesions). Solid union of the graft-host sites with in 15 months occurred in 86%. The overall survival rate of patients wi th high-grade lesions was four of seven and with low-grade lesions eig ht of nine after 4.5 years. Despite the high complication rate of 42%, intercalary bone allografts provide a valuable solution for reconstru ction of the extremity after tumor resection in long bones.