Vascularized Fibular Grafts for Failed Liquid Nitrogen-treated Autografts in the Humerus: Report of Two Cases

With advances in chemotherapy and surgical techniques, limb salvage and biological reconstruction, including autologous bone grafting, have become the preferred treatment options for primary malignant bone tumors of the extremities. Although autografts, which involve recycling of tumor-bearing bones, have the advantages of easy accessibility and anatomical matching, fracture is a frequent major complication. However, to our knowledge, salvage of refractory autograft failure has not yet been reported. This report describes free vascularized fibular graft implantation for salvaging failed previous reconstructions. We describe two patients (a 4-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man, respectively) with primary malignant bone tumors. Liquid nitrogen-treated autografts had been used to reconstruct the humerus in both cases. The patients sustained autograft fractures that could not be treated conservatively or by internal fixation. Free vascularized fibular grafts were transferred as double-barrel inlay grafts (length 7.2 and 8.2 cm) and a single-strut onlay graft (length 16 cm). The brachial arteries, brachial veins, and cephalic veins were used as recipient vessels. Bone union between the fibular grafts and humerus was achieved after 29 and 15 months of follow-up, respectively. In conclusion, free vascularized fibular grafts can be used to salvage refractory autograft fractures.