THE FUNCTIONAL-EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY MALIGNANT-TUMORS ABOUT THE KNEE TREATED BY MODULAR ENDOPROSTHETIC REPLACEMENT

Between 1985 and 1992, 39 patients with primary malignant neoplasms ab out the knee presented to the musculoskeletal oncology service at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. Twenty-eight patients met the cr iteria for limb salvage surgery and underwent reconstruction using a m odular endoprosthetic replacement. Twenty surviving patients and the m odular prosthesis were evaluated using the rating system adopted by th e Musculoskeletal Tumour Society. Eighteen patients had resection of t he distal femur and two had resection of the proximal tibia. The avera ge follow up was 36.5 months (range 6-93). Overall the results were ex cellent in two patients, good in 16 and fair in two. The prosthesis wa s rated as excellent in 13, good in four, fair in two and poor in one. The complications encountered are discussed. The authors conclude tha t this prosthesis provides a satisfactory form of reconstruction follo wing limb salvage surgery for tumours about the knee.