[Extracorporeal irradiation : Reimplantation of bone segments in the treatment of malignant bone tumours].

BACKGROUND: Malignant bone tumors themselves and the wide resection required because of them may cause huge bone defects in the bone segment involved. Autologous bone grafts are a reliable option to cover these defects in many cases but their availability is limited. Besides common alternative reconstruction methods, including the use of allografts and/or prostheses, especially extracoroporeal irradiation (ECI) and reimplantation of the bone segment involved is attracting increasingly more attention nowadays.

DISCUSSION: In the following, we report on indications/contraindications, details of the operative technique, as well as the recommended rehabilitation regime of ECI. Furthermore, we compare our own results with those published in the recent literature. Especially the advantages and disadvantages of this method, the risks and the complications are illustrated and critically discussed.

CONCLUSION: Extracorporeal irradiation of a tumor bearing bone segment is a valuable alternative reconstruction technique following tumor resections of the pelvis, femur and tibia, with encouraging results with respect to local control, complication risks and functional outcome.