Extracorporeal irradiation of tumorous calvaria - Case report

This patient with recurrent meningioma grossly involving the frontal bone u nderwent craniotomy and tumor resection. During the procedure a bone flap w as irradiated extracorporeally at a very high dose (120 Gy) sufficient to s terilize residual tumor cells, and the bone was then successfully replaced orthotopically for reconstruction. The use of autologous irradiated bone in this setting offers advantages over cadaveric transplantation and prosthet ic implants. Radiation might cause less disruption of the bone's architectu re than other techniques of tumor cell eradication.