What are the indications and survivorship of tumor endoprosthetic reconstructions for patients with extremity metastatic bone disease?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Given advances in therapies, endoprosthetic reconstruction (EPR) in metastatic bone disease (MBD) may be increasingly indicated. The objectives were to review the indications, and implant and patient survivorship in patients undergoing EPR for MBD. METHODS: A review of patients undergoing EPR for extremity MBD between 1992 and 2022 at two centers was performed. Surgical data, implant survival, patient survival, and implant failure modes were examined. RESULTS: One hundred fifteen patients were included with a median follow-up of 14.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.2-19.3) and survival of 19.4 months (95% CI: 13.6-26.1). The most common diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma (34/115, 29.6%) and the most common location was proximal femur (43/115, 37.4%). Indications included: actualized fracture (58/115, 50.4%), impending fracture (30/115, 26.1%), and failed fixation (27/115, 23.5%). Implant failure was uncommon (10/115, 8.7%). Patients undergoing EPR for failed fixation were more likely to have renal or lung cancer (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: EPRs were performed most frequently for renal cell carcinoma and in patients with a relatively favorable survival. EPR was indicated for failed previous fixation in 23.5% of cases, emphasizing the importance of predictive survival modeling. EPR can be a reliable and durable surgical option for patients with MBD.

Does surgical technique influence the burden of lung metastases in patients with pathologic long bone fractures?

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study are to (1) determine whether fixation of metastatic long bone fractures with an intramedullary nail (IMN) influences the incidence of lung metastasis in comparison to arthroplasty or ORIF (Arthro/ORIF); and (2) assess this relationship in primary tumor types; and (3) to assess survival implications of lung metastasis after surgery. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study investigating 184 patients (107 IMN, and 77 Arthro/ORIF) surgically treated for metastatic long bone fractures. Patients were required to have a single surgically treated impending or established pathologic fracture of a long bone, pre-operative lung imaging (lung radiograph or computed tomography) and post-operative lung imaging within 6 months of surgery. Primary cancer types included were breast (n = 70), lung (n = 43), prostate (n = 34), renal cell (n = 37). Statistical analyses were conducted using two-tailed Fisher's exact tests, and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. RESULTS: Patients treated with IMN and Arthro/ORIF developed new or progressive lung metastases following surgery at an incidence of 34 and 26%, respectively. Surgical method did not significantly influence lung metastasis (p = 0.33). Furthermore, an analysis of primary cancer subgroups did not yield any differences between IMN vs Arthro/ORIF. Median survival for the entire cohort was 11 months and 1-year overall survival was 42.7% (95% CI: 35.4-49.8). Regardless of fixation method, the presence of new or progressive lung metastatic disease at follow up imaging study was found to have a negative impact on patient survival (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, development or progression of metastatic lung disease was not affected by long bone stabilization strategy. IM manipulation of metastatic long bone fractures therefore may not result in a clinically relevant increase in metastatic lung burden. The results of this study also suggest that lung metastasis within 6 months of surgery for metastatic long bone lesions is negatively associated with patient survival. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, therapeutic study.

Communication in surgical decision-making while managing metastatic bone disease: matching patient expectations with surgical goals.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of research examining how surgical decision-making for metastatic bone disease (MBD) can be optimized to improve quality of life (QOL) and functional outcomes, while accurately aligning with patient goals and expectations. The objective of this study was to survey and interview patients with MBD and support persons (PS), physicians, and allied health care providers (HCP) with the goal of identifying (1) important surgical issues related to MBD management, (2) discordance in perioperative expectations, and (3) perceived measures of success in the surgical management of MBD. METHODS: Utilizing a custom survey developed by HCP and patients with MBD, participants were asked to (1) identify important issues related to MBD management, (2) rank perceived measures of success, and (3) answer open-ended questions pertaining to the management of MBD. RESULTS: From the survey, increased life expectancy, minimizing disease progression, removal of local tumour, timely surgery after diagnosis, increased length of hospitalization, and physiotherapy access were all identified as significant discordant goals between PS and physicians/HCP. Conversely, there was an agreement between physicians and HCP who considered improved QOL and functional outcomes as most important goals. Structured homogenous-group workshops identified the need for (1) improved discussions of prognosis, surgical options, expectations, timelines, and resources, (2) the use of a care team "quarterback", and (3) an increased use of multi-disciplinary treatment planning. CONCLUSIONS: We feel this data highlights the importance of improved communication and coordination in treating patients with MBD. Further research evaluating how surgical techniques influence survival and disease progression in MBD is highly relevant and important to patients.

A scoping review on the surgical management of metastatic bone disease of the extremities.

BACKGROUND: Management of metastatic bone disease of the extremities (MBD-E) is challenging, and surgical directions pose significant implications for overall patient morbidity and mortality. Recent literature reviews on the surgical management of MBD-E present a paucity of high-level evidence and global inconsistencies in study design. In order to steer productive research, a scoping review was performed to map and assess critical knowledge gaps. METHODS: The Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping studies was followed. A comprehensive literature search identified a large body of literature pertaining to the surgical management of MBD-E. Study data and meta-data was extracted and presented using descriptive analytics and a thematic framework. Literature gaps were identified and analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred eighty five studies from 1969 to 2017 were included. Studies were categorized into 11 separate themes, with the majority (63%) falling into the "surgical fixation strategies" theme, followed by "complications" at 7% and "prognosis and survival" at 6.2%. Less than 3% of studies were categorized in "patient related outcomes" or "epidemiology" themes. 89% of studies were retrospective and only 6 studies were of level 1 or 2 evidence. We identified a temporal increase in publication by decade, and all studies published on interventional radiology techniques or economic analyses were published after 2007 or 2009, respectively. 64.9% of studies were published in Europe and 20.3% were published in North America. Average patient age was 62 (± 5.2 years), and breast was the most common primary tumour (28%), followed by lung (17%) and kidney (15%). In terms of surgical location, 75% of operations involved the femur, followed by the humerus at 22% and tibia at 3%. CONCLUSIONS: We present a descriptive overview of the current published literature on the surgical management of MBD-E. Critical knowledge gaps have been identified through the development of a thematic framework. Consolidation of literary gaps must involve bolstered efforts towards patient and family-engaged research initiatives and assessment of patient-related surgical outcomes. Multi-disciplinary engagement in developing prospective research will also help guide evidence-based personalized practice for these patients. By building on existing comprehensive patient databases and registries, knowledge on survival and prognostic parameters can be greatly improved.

Effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy on bone metastases in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Bone metastases (BoMs) are prevalent in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) however, there are limited data detailing how BoMs respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The purpose of this study was to compare the imaging response to ICIs of BoMs against visceral metastases and to evaluate the effect of BoMs on survival. Materials and methods: A retrospective, multicentre cohort study was conducted in patients with NSCLC treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab in Alberta, Canada from 2015 to 2020. The primary endpoint was the real-world organ specific progression free survival (osPFS) of bone versus visceral metastases. Visceral metastases were categorized as adrenal, brain, liver, lung, lymph node, or other intra-abdominal lesions. The secondary outcome was overall survival (OS) amongst patients with and without BoMs. Results: A total of 573 patients were included of which all patients had visceral metastases and 243 patients (42.4%) had BoMs. High PD-L1 expression was identified in 268 patients (46.8%). No significant difference in osPFS was observed between bone, liver, and intra-abdominal metastases (p=0.20 and p=0.76, respectively), with all showing shorter osPFS than other disease sites. There was no difference in the osPFS of extra-thoracic sites of disease in patients with high PD-L1 expression. There was significant discordance between visceral disease response and bone disease response to ICI (p=0.047). The presence of BoMs was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.26, 95%CI: 1.05-1.53, p=0.01). Conclusion: Metastatic bone, liver, and intra-abdominal lesions demonstrated inferior clinical responses to ICI relative to other sites of disease. Additionally, the presence of bone and liver metastases were independent poor prognostic factors for overall survival. This real-world data suggests that BoMs respond poorly to ICI and may require treatment adjuncts for disease control.

Fungal periprosthetic joint infection following total elbow arthroplasty: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: With improving surgical techniques for total elbow arthroplasty clinical outcomes have improved and its utilization continues to increase. Despite these advances, complication rates remain as high as 24%. Of these complications periprosthetic joint infection is one of the most common and morbid. The rheumatoid elbow remains a leading indication for total elbow arthroplasty. Patients with this condition frequently require immunosuppressive therapy, which places them at higher risk of both typical and atypical infections. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a persistent, late-onset periprosthetic joint infection in a total elbow arthroplasty of a 64-year-old Caucasian woman with severe refractory rheumatoid arthritis. The offending pathogen, Aspergillus terreus, is previously unreported in the arthroplasty literature and grew concurrently with coagulase-negative staphylococcus. Eradication of the fungal and bacterial agents involved resection arthroplasty, serial debridement, and multiple courses of intravenous and oral antimicrobial therapy. Two attempts at reimplantation arthroplasty failed to eliminate the infection and our patient ultimately required definitive resection arthroplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroplasty in the rheumatoid elbow confers with it a high complication rate. Inflammatory disease and immunosuppressive drugs combined with the subcutaneous anatomy of the elbow contribute to the risk of infection. Fungal periprosthetic joint infection in the rheumatoid patient presents both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Fungal growth should always be treated and requires organism-specific antimicrobials in conjunction with surgical debridement. More literature is needed to determine the optimal treatment regimen for this devastating complication.

Functional outcomes after treatment of aggressive tumors in the distal radius.

We aimed to determine whether wide excision and radiocarpal arthrodesis in patients with aggressive tumors of the distal radius resulted in more significant functional deficit than joint salvage procedures. We compared functional outcomes, surgical complications, and local tumor relapse in 33 consecutive patients. Fourteen patients initially had joint-sparing procedures, whereas 19 underwent wide resection and arthrodesis. At minimum final followup of 18 months (mean, 96 months; range, 18-204 months), local tumor relapse occurred in five of 14 patients after joint salvage versus zero of 19 after arthrodesis. Two of five patients with tumor recurrence retained their native joints, whereas three underwent resection and arthrodesis. Six of 19 patients had complications, including one nonunion, for which we performed additional surgery after arthrodesis. All patients remained disease-free at followup and none developed metastases. Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score, Toronto Extremity Salvage Score, and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society scores all indicated more disability after arthrodesis. Persistent pain, radiographic wrist arthritis, and weaker grip strength was seen in some patients following joint salvage. Whenever possible, joint preservation is preferable for the result of better extremity function, but weaker grip, higher local tumor relapse, and late arthritis remain concerns.

Surface analysis of posterior stabilized femoral components used in total knee arthroplasty.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preimplantation surface finish of the femoral component used in total knee arthroplasty. Nine femoral components from various manufacturers were obtained for analysis. All were fixed-bearing, posterior-stabilized implants intended for cemented arthroplasty. Surface characterization involved light profilometry over multiple surface points from the condylar surface, trochlear groove, and the posterior stabilizing cam. Results revealed that the condylar surface roughness was not significantly different when comparing designs with a mean roughness average ranging from 43.6 to 116 nm. The trochlear surface was generally similar to that of the condyles in most implants, although significant differences were seen in 2 implants (P <.05). Of note, the articular surface of the stabilizing cam was uniformly rougher than the condylar surface in all implants and significantly rougher (P <.05) in 6 of the 9 components.