Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Limb-sparing surgery with ulnar bone grafts for dog radial bone cancer
By Hodge, Susan C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2011·Tennessee Avenue Animal Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Vascularized ulnar bone grafts for limb-sparing surgery for the treatment of distal radial osteosarcoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with distal radial osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer) underwent limb-sparing surgery using either vascularized ulnar bone grafts or other techniques like metal implants. While the ulnar grafts showed good healing, some dogs experienced complications, including tumor recurrence in 25% and infection in over half of the cases. Despite these issues, the dogs were able to bear weight on their legs and had a mean survival time of nearly 29 months after surgery. This approach offers a viable option for treating bone cancer while preserving limb function, but more research is needed to improve outcomes.
People also search for: dog bone cancer treatment · osteosarcoma in dogs · limb-sparing surgery for dogs · dog cancer survival rates · dog infection after surgery
Abstract
The objective of this retrospective study was to compare vascularized free or roll-in ulnar bone grafts for limb-sparing surgery in dogs with radial osteosarcoma with the cortical allograft, metal endoprosthesis, or distraction osteogenesis techniques. Overall, the ulnar graft techniques used in this study demonstrated excellent healing properties. Complications included recurrence of the tumor in 25% (2/8) of the dogs, metastasis in 50% (4/8) of the dogs, implant loosening in 37.5% (3/8) of the dogs, implant failure in 12.5% (1/8) of the dogs, and infection in 62.5% (5/8) of the dogs. Mean survival time was 29.3 mo (range, 9 to 61 mo). The mean metastasis-free interval was 33.67 mo (range, 8 to 54 mo). Tumors recurred locally in two dogs at 10 mo and 20 mo postoperatively. This study yielded similar long-term complications as other limb-sparing options (such as cortical allografts and metal endoprostheses) and allowed dogs to bear weight on the operated limb with acceptable limb function. More research is needed regarding specific healing times for ulnar vascularized grafts, time until implant removal, and the extent of radial bone that could ultimately be replaced by the ulna.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21311080/