Use of synthetic ligament in reconstruction after massive bone tumour removal
Published online: Apr 27 2012
Nanni J. ALLINGTON, Jean RONDIA
From CHR La Citadelle, Liège, Belgium
Abstract
With advances in medical imaging over the past decades and with a multidisciplinary approach in bone tumour management, limb sparing procedures are more often feasible but come with new challenges. One of these is to deal with the remaining soft tissues, especially muscles, or bony parts and to restore continuity and a correct function.
Synthetic ligaments have been used safely for several decades in various ligament reconstruction procedures with good results. We present a technique in which a synthetic ligament is used to augment or replace a joint capsule around a megaprosthesis. The joint is thus stabilized, and the remaining bony parts and muscles are attached to the synthetic material to restore continuity and allow better function of the spared limb.