Allogeneic grafts for bone tumor: 21 cases of osteoarticular and segmental grafts

We treated 21 aggressive and malignant bone tumors by wide resection and replacement with deep-frozen osteoarticular and segmental (intercalary and block) allografts. Radiologic and histologic studies showed a gradual accretion of new bone on the graft trabeculae, sometimes with total creeping substitution. Substantial resorption of grafted condylar bone occurred in 3 of 14 cases. One of them ended with arthrodesis; in the other 2 the result after augmentation autografts was fair. Radiographically, a gradual joint surface destruction was observed in all the osteoarticular grafts after 5 years, not correlating with joint function, however. Biopsies showed some cartilage regeneration. Each patient underwent, on an average, two operations. Function after osteoarticular grafts at 3–16 years was excellent in 1 case, good in 4, fair in 6, and poor in 1 case; 2 cases were too recent for evaluation. Function 3–12 years after segmental grafts was excellent in 3 cases and poor in 3 cases (1 amputation due to nonuni...