Total femur replacement for Ewing’s sarcoma after wide resection of the proximal femur: a long-term follow-up case study

Background: Total femur replacement is a relatively rarely performed procedure for the reconstruction of an affected limb after resection of a malignant bone tumor.

Objective: Report total femur replacement in a 17-year-old male patient after wide resection of the right femur for involvement of the proximal segment of the bone by Ewing’s sarcoma.

Results: The complications that often arose from the use of the tumor prostheses after the tumor resection, e.g., infection and migration/dislocation of the artificial bonehead, were overcome successfully. The patient has been under follow-up for a relatively long period of time (16 years) since the surgery. The operated limb function is now rated at 70% according to the rating system by Musculo-Skeletal Tumor Society (MSTS). The patient has almost completely regained his ability to walk and carries on with activities of daily living.

Conclusion: If appropriate measures are taken to deal with the complications, favorable function of the operated limb can be expected to be maintained for long periods after reconstruction using this technique.