Publications by authors named "Duncan Whitwell"

Purpose: Currently there is no generally accepted standardized approach for the pathological evaluation of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) histology appearance after preoperative radiotherapy (PORT). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of pathological appearance after PORT for patients with high-grade limb/trunk STS.

Methods: A cohort of 116 patients with high-grade STS of the limb/trunk treated with PORT followed by resection were evaluated.

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Background: Limb-salvage surgery involving the utilization of endoprosthetic replacements is commonly employed following segmental bone resection for primary and secondary bone tumors. This study aimed to evaluate whether a fully porous bridging collar promotes early osseous integration in endoprosthetic replacements.

Methods: We undertook a retrospective review of all lower-limb endoprostheses utilizing a fully porous endosteal bridging collar design.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the wound complication (WC) rate and to determine the risk factors for WC in patients with soft tissue sarcoma treated with preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgical resection.

Methods: Using the database of Oxford University Hospital (OUH) we retrospectively studied 126 cases of soft tissue sarcomas treated with preoperative radiotherapy and surgery between 2007 and 2021. WC were defined as minor wound complication (MiWC) not requiring surgical intervention or major wound complication (MaWC) if they received a secondary surgical intervention.

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Adamantinoma is a rare primary low-grade malignant tumour of the appendicular skeleton most commonly found in the tibia. It has an indolent course, with local recurrences and lung metastases occurring over a protracted duration. There have been several suggestions pertaining to a vascular origin in the literature, however, histogenesis remains unclear.

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Article Synopsis
  • Preoperative radiotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma increases the likelihood of major wound complications after surgery, prompting a study to create a predictive nomogram.
  • The analysis was based on 126 patients treated at Oxford University Hospital from 2007 to 2021, identifying age, tumor size, and metastasis as key independent risk factors for complications.
  • The developed nomogram achieved a sensitivity of 0.90 and specificity of 0.76, with an AUC of 0.86, demonstrating its effectiveness in predicting major wound complications post-surgery.
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Introduction: We developed a technique using an indigenously designed jig to assist pin placement in producing a stable and long-lasting construct to augment the acetabulum combined with a cemented hip replacement in cases of metastatic destruction of the acetabulum. We describe our novel modified Harrington technique and retrospectively assess our cohort's clinical outcomes and complications.

Methods: Between 2006 and 2019, 27 patients with a median age of 69 (49-81) years and a median ASA grade of III (II-IV) were managed using our modified 'Harrington' technique.

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Background: The efficacy and safety of cell salvage for musculoskeletal sarcoma surgery have not been reported, and concerns over re-infusion of tumour cells remain. This study aims to i) describe the intra-operative blood loss and cell salvage reinfusion volumes for lower limb sarcoma and pelvic sarcoma procedures ii) and explore whether there is evidence of tumour cells in reinfused blood.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 109 consecutive surgical procedures for biopsy-proven sarcoma or bone metastasis performed between 1 July 2015 and 30 October 2019.

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Background: Like with all cancers, multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are the norm in bone and soft tissue tumour (BST) management too. Problem in attendance of specialists due to geographical location is the one of the key barriers to effective functioning of MDTs. To overcome this problem, virtual MDTs involving videoconferencing or telemedicine have been proposed, but however this has been seldom used and tested.

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Background: Delivering uninterrupted cancer treatment to patients with musculoskeletal tumors has been essential during the rapidly evolving coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as delays in management can be detrimental. Currently, the risk of contracting COVID-19 in hospitals when admitted for surgery and the susceptibility due to adjuvant therapies and associated mortality due to COVID-19 is unknown, but knowledge of these potential risks would help treating clinicians provide appropriate cancer care.

Questions/purposes: (1) What is the risk of hospital-acquired COVID-19 in patients with musculoskeletal tumors admitted for surgery during the initial period of the pandemic? (2) What is the associated mortality in patients with musculoskeletal tumors who have contracted COVID-19? (3) Are patients with musculoskeletal tumors who have had neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy or radiation) preoperatively at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19? (4) Is a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade in patients with musculoskeletal tumors associated with an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 when admitted to the hospital for surgery?

Methods: This retrospective, observational study analyzed patients with musculoskeletal tumors who underwent surgery in one of eight specialist centers in the United Kingdom, which included the five designated cancer centers in England, one specialist soft tissue sarcoma center, and two centers from Scotland between March 12, 2020 and May 20, 2020.

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The COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic has caused an unprecedented strain on healthcare systems across the globe. Apart from being a major hurdle to delivery of basic healthcare services, this may be associated with potential harm for cancer patients. Usually being immunocompromised, cancer patients are at a higher risk of contracting the disease and with hospitals being a potential source of the infection, an urgent need to reorganise the structure of delivery of cancer care is essential.

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Purpose: Deferring cancer surgery can have profound adverse effects including patient mortality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, departmental reorganisation and adherence to evolving guidelines enabled provision of uninterrupted surgical care to patients with bone and soft tissue tumours (BST) in need of surgery. We reviewed the outcomes of surgeries on BST during the first two months of the pandemic at one of the tertiary BST centres in the UK.

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Intestinal epithelial dysplasia (tufting enteropathy) is an uncommon congenital disorder. Furthermore, its association with chronic inflammatory arthropathy is rarely documented in the literature. Low prevalence rates of 1 in 100,000 live births in Western Europe exist, with higher rates in North Africa and Middle Eastern countries.

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A tailgut cyst (retrorectal cystic hamartoma) is an uncommon lesion that develops in the presacral (retrorectal) space. Malignant change in a tailgut cyst is extremely rare and presents as a soft tissue (presacral) or bone (sacral) neoplasm. We report a case of tailgut cyst in which a neuroendocrine tumor developed in a 25-year-old female.

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Background: The use of F-FDG PET-CT (PET-CT) is widespread in many cancer types compared to sarcoma. We report a large retrospective audit of PET-CT in bone and soft tissue sarcoma with varied grade in a single multi-disciplinary centre. We also sought to answer three questions.

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Background: Endoprosthetic replacement (EPR) is an option for management of massive bone loss resulting from infection around failed lower limb implants. The aim of this study is to determine the mid-term outcome of EPRs performed in the treatment of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and infected failed osteosyntheses around the hip and knee joint and identify factors that influence it.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all hip and knee EPRs performed between 2007 and 2014 for the management of chronic infection following complex arthroplasty or fracture fixation.

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Chordomas are rare primary malignant bone tumors arising from embryonal notochord remnants of the axial skeleton. Chordomas commonly recur following surgery and radiotherapy, and there is no effective systemic therapy. Previous studies implicated receptor tyrosine kinases, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R), in chordoma biology.

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Background: Complex symptomatic ganglion cysts arising from the proximal tibio-fibular joint (PTJ) are not an uncommon presentation in specialist knee clinics and can be managed by aspiration or excision. There is, however, a high rate of recurrence and often there is progressive involvement of the common peroneal nerve (CPN) and its branches, and permanent nerve damage may result.

Methods: This study is a review of the outcome of recalcitrant and recurrent cyst disease with CPN involvement treated by proximal fibulectomy.

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Purpose: Elderly patients with bone cancer are thought to have poorer access to specialist treatment and therefore suboptimal outcome. The aim of this study was to review the clinical course, outcome and survivorship in geriatric patients with primary bone tumours.

Methods: We analysed 66 consecutive patients aged 60 years or older who were surgically treated for primary bone tumours between 1997 and 2012.

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Background: Ischiofemoral impingement is a recently identified cause of chronic hip pain, the pathophysiology and clinical features of which are poorly understood.


Aim: To determine the clinical significance of MRI findings of ischiofemoral impingement.


Materials And Methods: Retrospective search for cases of ischiofemoral impingement in the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford, over a 4 year period, and review of medical notes to identify correlation between clinical and MRI features.

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Background: Leiomyosarcoma of deep soft tissues of the extremities is a rare malignant tumour treated primarily by surgery. The incidence of local recurrence and lymph node metastasis is uncertain and it is not known whether a sentinel lymph node biopsy is indicated in these tumours.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients treated for extremity deep soft tissue leiomyosarcoma at our institution over a 10-year period was conducted.

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Purpose: Although originally designed for reconstruction after primary malignant bone tumour resection, modular endoprosthetic replacement (EPR) can be used in salvage surgery for complex periprosthetic fracture and failed internal fixation. The purpose of this study was to assess the functional outcome following EPR for failed internal fixation of the proximal femur.

Methods: We assessed clinical and functional outcomes of using a modular tumour endoprosthesis to reconstruct the proximal femur following failed internal fixation in eight consecutive patients between 2001 and 2008.

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Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a synovial tumour-like lesion that frequently causes osteolysis. PVNS contains numerous macrophages and osteoclast-like giant cells. In this study, we have analysed the cytochemical and functional characteristics of mononuclear and multinucleated cells in PVNS and determined the cellular and humoral mechanisms underlying giant cell formation and resorption in PVNS.

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Metal on metal hip resurfacing has been used widely over the last ten years but there has been recent concern about destructive soft tissue reactions, which have been called pseudotumours by some authors. This has generated considerable controversy. This review explains why pseudotumours occur after resurfacing and how they can be prevented.

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