# Surgical dilemmas in Gardner syndrome: infiltrative basal cell carcinoma and total knee prosthesis failure

## TL;DR

A patient with Gardner syndrome faces complex surgical challenges from aggressive skin cancer and a failed knee prosthesis.

## Contribution

This case highlights the unique surgical dilemmas in Gardner syndrome patients with infiltrative basal cell carcinoma and orthopedic complications.

## Key findings

- Infiltrative basal cell carcinoma in a Gardner syndrome patient occurred on the oral mucosa.
- The patient experienced catastrophic failure of a total knee prosthesis due to infection and bone necrosis.
- The case underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach in managing cancer and orthopedic issues in genetic syndromes.

## Abstract

Infiltrative basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common forms of skin cancer, generally presenting as a slow-growing, locally invasive lesion limited to the epidermis. However, in patients with genetic syndromes such as Gardner syndrome, basal cell carcinoma may present more aggressively and in atypical locations. This case describes a 52-year-old male patient with Gardner syndrome, presenting with infiltrative basal cell carcinoma on the oral mucosa and suffering from catastrophic failure of total knee prosthesis due to postoperative complications including infection and bone necrosis. The combination of these two unusual clinical factors presents a challenge for both oncological management and surgical treatment. This case highlights the complex interaction between genetic predisposition to cancer and orthopedic complications, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach.