Limb Salvage in Chondrosarcoma of the Proximal Humerus: A Case Report

TL;DR

A 43-year-old woman with chondrosarcoma in her upper arm underwent successful limb salvage surgery using her own sterilized bone.

Contribution

A novel approach to reconstructing the humerus using autoclaved resected bone is presented.

Findings

Resection of 15 cm of the humerus was followed by reconstruction using the sterilized resected bone.

The patient showed callus formation confirmed by ultrasound and CT scan after one year.

Arthrodesis of the glenohumeral joint was achieved with long fixation.

Abstract

Chondrosarcoma is the third most common primary malignant bone tumor. The proximal humerus is the most common site. Since it is resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the mainstay of treatment is surgery. Due to the extensive involvement of long bones, it requires reconstruction with either a prosthetic implant or bone graft. We present a case of a 43-year-old female who presented with chondrosarcoma involving 15 cm of humerus. The patient was managed with the resection of 15 cm of humerus and reconstruction with the same resected bone after autoclaving. It was secured with long fixation resulting in arthrodesis of the glenohumeral joint. The patient was followed for one year and there was evidence of callus formation by ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scan.

Figures