The Effect of a Patient Navigator on Treatment Abandonment and Follow-up for High Grade Osteosarcoma Patients in the Philippine General Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment abandonment for osteosarcoma is a significant problem in developing countries with rates as high as 70%. This study aimed to determine the effect of a patient navigator on treatment abandonment and patient follow-up of osteosarcoma patients at a tertiary referral center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of osteosarcoma patients was performed investigating 2 cohorts based on the start of the patient navigator. Group 1 (Pre-Patient Navigator, n=46) were treated from January 2016 to December 2017 while Group 2 (Post-Patient Navigator, n=29) were treated from January 2018 to June 2019. The primary outcome investigated was treatment abandonment defined as missing 4 or more consecutive weeks of treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the effect of the patient navigator on the cohorts. RESULTS: Treatment abandonment rates for the Pre-Patient Navigator group was significantly higher compared to those with a patient navigator (50% vs 6%, p=0.0001). Abandonment for the pre-navigator group occurred at a mean of 2.9 months (0 - 9 months, median 3 months). Fourteen of 23 patients who abandoned from Group 1 did not proceed to neoadjuvant chemotherapy while 3 patients abandoned after completing 1 cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In the patient navigator group, no patients abandoned prior to completing 3 cycles of chemotherapy. One patient abandoned after refusing a below knee amputation after 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 1 patient did not complete further chemotherapy after having a hip disarticulation. Patient feedback on the patient navigator experience was favorable. CONCLUSIONS: Having a patient navigator from diagnosis throughout treatment reduced treatment abandonment rates in osteosarcoma patients and may serve as a model for other low to middle income countries.

Huge Intraosseous Tibial Haemangioma Managed with Embolisation, Excision and Fibular Ilizarov Reconstruction: A Case Report.

AIM: Our aim is to report the successful treatment of an intraosseous haemangioma of tibia with an atypical presentation through a multidisciplinary approach of preoperative embolisation, a subtotal resection of the tibia and subsequent reconstruction with the Ilizarov medial fibular translation technique. BACKGROUND: En bloc excision is the treatment of choice for large tumours of the tibia. However, there is no single recommended method for the reconstruction of the resulting bony defect. CASE: A 22-year-old female presented with a massive intraosseous haemangioma of the entire tibia. Sequential, multimodal treatment consisted of (1) preembolisation, (2) en bloc resection and (3) reconstruction of the extensive skeletal defect via the Ilizarov method of fibular medialisation. Radiologic union occurred at 6 months and graft hypertrophy at 22 months. At 45 months, the patient was fully weight-bearing without need for an assistive device. CONCLUSION: Resection and reconstruction of a large intraosseous haemangioma of the tibia can be treated successfully using a well-planned sequential management of embolisation, resection and Ilizarov fibular grafting. SIGNIFICANCE: This report highlights the successful management of an unusually extensive and difficult tumour through appropriate and meticulous perioperative multidisciplinary planning, execution and follow-up. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Barsales KAD, Javier J, Catibog JJ, et al. Huge Intraosseous Tibial Haemangioma Managed with Embolisation, Excision and Fibular Ilizarov Reconstruction: A Case Report. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr 2021;16(1):60-63.