ALLOGENIC GRAFTING OF VASCULARIZED BONE SEGMENTS UNDER IMMUNOSUPPRESSION - CLINICAL-RESULTS IN THE TRANSPLANTATION OF FEMORAL DIAPHYSES

Trauma surgery lack, substitute, for the reconstruction of large defec ts of the long bones. Encouraged by the promising results of bone allo transplantation in animal models, we successfully performed vasculariz ed bone transplantation in humans. Vascularized femoral diaphyses were allogenically transplanted into three patients suffering from chondro sarcoma or post-traumatic osteomyelitis with postoperative immunosuppr ession. The bone segments were harvested from multi-organ donors and p erfused with UW solution. After back-table preparation, the grafts wer e transplanted into the defect zone. Interlocking devices were used in these operations. Vascular anastomoses were performed in end-to-side technique. The early clinical course of the patients was not free of a natomical, technical, or immunological complications. However, all pat ients are currently free of malignancy and infection. They are also fr ee of pain and full weight bearing. We conclude that allogenic graftin g of vascularized bone segments has the potential to become an alterna tive for the replacement of large bone defects.