Hemi-replacement arthroplasty of the proximal humerus. A case report.

A ten-year-old girl underwent excision of a chondrosarcoma of the right proximal humerus with subsequent insertion of a prosthesis. Failure of the device occurred six years after operation, requiring revision to an identical but shorter prosthesis. This device failed 1 1/2 years later and was replaced by a fibular graft inserted in the humeral medullary canal. The fibular graft was removed 18 months later, resulting in a flail right shoulder. The mode of failure in each instance was anterior and superior dislocation of the hemiarthroplasties. Currently, ten years after the initial procedure, the patient is tumor free with a shortened functional right upper extremity.