Limb salvage surgery in osteosarcoma of the femur using liquid-nitrogen-frozen free femur autograft in a developing country

Abstract

Introduction: Limb salvage is a technically demanding and capital intensive procedure. In low-income countries, amputation followed by prosthesis use is widely used for the treatment of limb malignancies. This is associated with considerable morbidity and frequent non-adherence to prosthetic use. Therefore, we are reporting a case of osteosarcoma of the femur treated by the use of pre-operative chemotherapy, followed by frozen free femur autograft and intramedullary nailing, with excellent radiologic and functional results at 1 year of follow-up, in a developing country. Conclusion:This case describes the successful use of a free frozen autograft of the femur in a 16-year-old girl with osteosarcoma of the left femur, done in a developing country, Kenya. It demonstrates the feasibility of limb salvage using this technique in low-income countries