Extendible replacements of the proximal tibia for bone tumours

Limb salvage is now customary in the treatment of primary bone tumours, The proximal tibia is a frequent site for these neoplasms but reconstruction, especially in children, is a formidable challenge. We reviewed 20 children with extendible replacements of the proximal tibia, all with a minimum foll ow-up of five years. Five died from their disease and, of the remaining 15, four had above-knee amputations for complications. Infection occurred in s even patients; in five it was related to the lengthening procedure. Aseptic loosening is inevitable in the younger children and only two have avoided a revision, amputation or other major complication; both were aged 12 years at the time of the initial surgery. Despite this, 11 children are alive wi th a functioning leg and a mean Musculoskeletal Tumour Society functional s core of 83%. The lengthening mechanisms used in our series required extensi ve open operations, We are now using a simpler, minimally invasive, techniq ue which we hope will decrease the incidence of complications. At present, the use of extendible prostheses of the proximal tibia remains an experimen tal procedure.