Limb salvage for osteosarcoma in the 1980s.

The incidence of local recurrences following limb salvage performed by experienced surgeons with wide surgical margins and with the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is sufficiently low (5%-10%) so as not to have a biologically statistically significant impact on the long-term survival rate. Following limb salvage, the incidence of morbidity increases with a few patients occasionally requiring prolonged or repeated hospitalizations and further surgical procedures, even amputation. The durability of the reconstructions is variable, and many of the mobile knee reconstructions may need to be revised if the patients become long-term survivors. The function of salvaged limbs is better than that after the alternative amputation, but none of the reconstructions will give normal function. Finally, no matter which type of surgery on the lower extremity is selected, patients will have a good early psychosocial adjustment if no premorbid psychosocial disorder is present.