Implicações sociais enfrentadas pelas famílias que possuem pacientes com sarcoma ósseo / Social implications faced by bone sarcoma patients' families

O grupo de oncologia ortopédica proporciona atendimento médico e psicossocial aos pacientes internados e em tratamento ambulatorial, portadores de tumores músculos-esqueléticos. Nesta pesquisa, nosso objetivo foi conhecer o perfil socioeconômico dos paciente-familiares e as mudanças ocorridas após a constatação do diagnóstico. A amostra foi composta por 25 famílias de pacientes com osteossarcoma de membro inferior. A pesquisa ocorreu no período de setembro a outubro/2005, através de formulários com questões fechadas e abertas, utilizando para análise qualitativa o discurso do sujeito coletivo. O estudo foi prospectivo, descritivo, com abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Dos entrevistados, 68 por cento eram do sexo feminino, 44 por cento destes eram genitoras; 76 por cento estavam trabalhando e 28 por cento possuíam vínculo empregatício. 60 por cento possuía renda entre 2 a 5 salários mínimos. Após o diagnóstico, 92 por cento tiveram aumento de gastos; 80 por cento apresentaram dificuldade com a quimioterapia; 56 por cento relacionam o transporte como dificultador para aderir ao tratamento. 100 por cento desesperaram-se diante da descoberta do câncer. O câncer ocasiona mudanças nos papéis dos membros da família. Existe o receio da recidiva da doença que leva a família a ter medo da morte, fazendo-se necessário um trabalho em conjunto com a equipe multiprofissional.

The orthopaedic oncology group provides medical and psychosocial care to patients, both in hospital and outpatient facilities, with musculoskeletal tumors. With this research we aimed to know the socioeconomical profile of the patients/ families, as well as the changes occurred after such diagnosis is received. The sample was constituted of 25 families of patients with osteosarcoma on lower limbs. The study was conducted between September and October 2005 by means of forms containing open and closed questions, using the collective subject speech for qualitative analysis. The study had a prospective, descriptive design with quanti-qualitative approach. Among the respondents, 68 percent were females including 44 percent of mothers; 76 percent worked, and 28 percent of these had formal jobs. 60 percent had a family income amounting 2-5 minimum wages. After diagnosis, 92 percent faced increased expenses; 80 percent reported challenges with the chemotherapy; 56 percent mention transportation as the major factor affecting compliance to treatment. 100 percent feel desperate when they first know they have cancer. Cancer causes changes in family members' roles. There is always the fear of recurrence, which ultimately lead the family to fear death, thus requiring a joint effort with a multidisciplinary team.

Blood loss in the minimally invasive posterior approach to total hip arthroplasty: a comparative study

AIMS: Our primary aimwas to evaluate whether there is really less bleeding in patients for whom the minimally invasive posterior approach is used in comparison with the direct lateral approachfor primary total hip arthroplasty. Our secondary aim was to evaluate the clinical functional results after six months as well as the postoperative radiographic result. METHODS: In a comparative non-random prospective study, 76 adult patients underwent elective total hip arthroplasty using one of two approaches. The minimally invasive posterior approach (34 cases; mini-incision group) was compared with the standard direct lateral approach (42 cases; control group). RESULTS: Lower total estimated bleeding (means of 1083.5 ml versus 1682.3 ml; p < 0.001) and lower intraoperative bleeding (means of 745.6 ml versus 1282.8 ml; p < 0.001) were found in the mini-incision group. There was, however, no difference in the volume of blood drained after the operation (means of 340 ml and 399 ml; p = 0.77). There was also a difference between the two groups regarding the need for allogenic transfusion (8.8 percent in the mini-incision group versus 28.6 percent, p = 0.02). We observed a better clinical result in the mini-incision group (p = 0.002) despite the lack of difference between the two groups in relation to the radiographic result. DISCUSSION: Our results draw attention to the possibility that other authors may have underestimated blood losses when using minimally invasive approaches. CONCLUSION: The minimally invasive approach gave rise to a positive final impression with regard to lower blood loss.

The use of a modular titanium endoprosthesis in skeletal reconstructions after bone tumor resections: method presentation and analysis of 37 cases

We analyzed 37 patients who underwent segmental wide resection of bone tumors and reconstruction with a modular titanium endoprosthesis at the Orthopaedic Oncology Group, between 1992 and 1998. Twelve patients were male and 25 were female, with a mean age of 30 years (9 - 81). The mean follow-up was 14 months (2 - 48). The diagnoses were: steosarcoma (14 cases), metastatic carcinoma (10), Ewing's sarcoma (4), giant cell tumor (4), malignant fibrous histiocytoma (3), chondrosarcoma (1), and aneurysmal bone cyst (1). Eleven articulated total knee, 8 partial proximal femur with bipolar acetabulum, 8 partial proximal humerus, 3 total femur, 2 partial proximal tibia, 2 diaphyseal femur, 2 diaphyseal humerus, and 1 total proximal femur with cementless acetabulum endoprosthesis implant procedures were done. The complications related to the procedure included: infection (5 cases), dislocation (3), module loosening (1), and ulnar nerve paresthesia (1). We used the following criteria for the clinical evaluation: presence of pain, range of motion, reconstruction stability, surgical and oncologic complications, and patient acceptance. The results were good in 56.8 per cent of the cases, regular in 32.4 per cent and poor in 10.8 per cent.