Principles of limb sparing surgery in bone and soft tissue sarcoma

Abstract

The standard for local control of malignant bone and soft tissue tumours has been amputation. Advances in multimodality treatment have seen a shift towards preservation of the limb. Sophisticated techniques that employ combinations of prosthetic and biologic material now provide a greater opportunity for functional reconstruction of the limb. This review covers the principles of limb sparing surgery and highlights the importance of preoperative staging, adjuvant and neo-adjuvant treatments and surgical margins. Complications are common and should be pre-empted. Limb sparing surgery is a complex procedure that requires expert knowledge of the requirements and criteria for its use. It is an im..