Preferences on treatment decision making in sarcoma patients. Prevalence and associated factors - Results from the PROSa Study.

Introduction: The impact of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness may influence preferences to participate in treatment decisions. The objective of this analysis was to identify factors that are associated with sarcoma patients wanting to take a more active or passive role.

Methods: Data was obtained as part of a nationwide multicenter study (PROSa) aiming to investigate the structure and quality of medical care of sarcoma patients in Germany and their determinants.

Free vascularized fibula transfer in single- or double-barrel technique for reconstruction of segmental bone defects following oncological resection or posttraumatic bone loss.

Background: Significant osseous defects or osteonecrosis, precipitated by open fractures, infections, or neoplastic conditions, represent infrequent yet critical medical conditions. The free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG) is a challenging but straightforward, reliable surgical intervention for the reconstruction of defects across various anatomical regions. This study aims to compare, quantify, and demonstrate the FVFG's versatility.

First Experiences with Fusion of PET-CT and MRI Datasets for Navigation-Assisted Percutaneous Biopsies for Primary and Metastatic Bone Tumors.

The aim of this study was to compare the technique of navigation-assisted biopsy based on fused PET and MRI datasets to CT-guided biopsies in terms of the duration of the procedure, radiation dose, complication rate, and accuracy of the biopsy, particularly in anatomically complex regions. Between 2019 and 2022, retrospectively collected data included all navigated biopsies and CT-guided biopsies of suspected primary bone tumors or solitary metastases. Navigation was based on preoperative CT, PET-CT/-MRI, and MRI datasets, and tumor biopsies were performed using intraoperative 3D imaging combined with a navigation system.

Palliative care of proximal femur metastatic disease and osteolytic lesions: results following surgical and radiation treatment.

Background: Femoral bone metastases (FBM) or lesions (FBL) can lead to loss of mobility and independence due to skeletal-related events (SRE), e.g. pain, deformity and pathological fractures.

[Potential consequences of the German hospital reform and the resolution of the Federal Joint Committee on the treatment of proximal femoral fractures for the Federal State of Saxony : Improvement or hazard for the quality of care?].

Background: The German hospital landscape is undergoing comprehensive changes due to the increasing aging population and staff shortages in the healthcare sector. These changes are driven by the current hospital reform and the guidelines of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) for the treatment of proximal femoral fractures.

Objective: To investigate the effects of the hospital reform and the implementation of the G‑BA guidelines for the treatment of proximal femoral fractures in Saxony.

Rare primary dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the thoracic spine: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Primary dedifferentiated liposarcomas of the spine mark a rare tumor entity.

Research Question And Case Description: We present a rare case of a primary dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the thoracic spine. A 36-year-old previously completely healthy woman presented with a sudden ascending paresthesia of both legs, persistently increasing over the course of two days before initial presentation.

[ePROs in the routine care of a major oncology center: Results and experiences].

Background: To what extent and under what conditions electronically captured patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) can be used in routine medical care and contribute to improved patient care is a widely discussed question. In the field of oncology, few studies in Germany have focused this topic that go beyond the scope of time-limited studies.

Method: First, we present the centrally coordinated collection of ePROs in the routine care of a comprehensive cancer center of the German Cancer Aid in its development, and then describe its qualitative dimension.

Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy following anterior cervical spine fixation - a retrospective propensity-matched cohort study.

Purpose: In patients with traumatic, infectious, degenerative, and neoplastic surgical indications in the cervical spine, commonly the anterior approach is used. Often these patients require a tracheostomy necessary due to prolonged mechanical ventilation. The limited spinal mobility and proximity to the surgical site of anterior cervical spine fixation (ACSF) could pose an increased risk for complications of percutaneous dilational tracheostomy (PDT.

A high hospital frailty risk score indicates an increased risk for complications following surgical treatment of proximal humerus fractures.

Background: Approximately 70 % of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) occur after the age of 60. High complication rates have been described in correlation with the treatment of PHF. Major risk factors for the outcome might be frailty, mobility and comorbidities of patients at the time of hospital admission.

Surgical and Oncologic Outcome following Sacrectomy for Primary Malignant Bone Tumors and Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer.

Introduction: Bone sarcoma or direct pelvic carcinoma invasion of the sacrum represent indications for partial or total sacrectomy. The aim was to describe the oncosurgical management and complication profile and to analyze our own outcome results following sacrectomy.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis, 27 patients (n = 8/10/9 sarcoma/chordoma/locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC)) were included.

[Treatment strategies for recurrent rectal cancer].

Multimodal treatment approaches with neoadjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed by oncological and total mesorectal excision (TME) have significantly reduced the recurrence rate even in locally advanced rectal cancer. Nevertheless, up to 10% of patients develop a local relapse. Surgical R0 resection is the only chance of a cure in the treatment of locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC).

Interobserver variability in preclinical assessment of collision variables following traffic accidents.

Purpose: Traffic accidents persist as a leading cause of death. European law mandates the integration of automatic emergency call systems (eCall). Our project focuses on an automated injury prediction device for car accidents, correlating technical and epidemiological input data, such as age, gender, seating position, impact on the passenger compartment, seatbelt usage, impact direction, EES, vehicle class, and airbag deployment.

Co-delivery of rhBMP-2 and zoledronic acid using calcium sulfate/hydroxyapatite carrier as a bioactive bone substitute to enhance and accelerate spinal fusion.

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has been FDA-approved for lumbar fusion, but supraphysiologic initial burst release due to suboptimal carrier and late excess bone resorption caused by osteoclast activation have limited its clinical usage. One strategy to mitigate the pro-osteoclast side effect of rhBMP-2 is to give systemic bisphosphonates, but it presents challenges with systemic side effects and low local bioavailability. The aim of this study was to analyze if posterolateral spinal fusion (PLF) could be improved by utilizing a calcium sulfate/hydroxyapatite (CaS/HA) carrier co-delivering rhBMP-2 and zoledronic acid (ZA).

Health related Quality of Life over time in German sarcoma patients. An analysis of associated factors - results of the PROSa study.

Introduction: Sarcomas are rare cancers and very heterogeneous in their location, histological subtype, and treatment. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of sarcoma patients has rarely been investigated in longitudinal studies.

Methods: Here, we assessed adult sarcoma patients and survivors between September 2017 and February 2020, and followed-up for one year in 39 study centers in Germany.

[Therapy of Humeral Shaft Fractures].

Humeral shaft fractures are a rare but challenging entity of injuries of the upper extremity. Despite all advances in the past decades - including improved imaging, adjusted surgical techniques and new implant designs - the treatment of humeral shaft fractures and especially the treatment choice remains challenging. Treatment options need to be evaluated individually under consideration of fracture morphology, soft tissue and potential neurological damage as well as patient-specific factors (i.

The spinal cord injury-induced immune deficiency syndrome: results of the SCIentinel study.

Infections are prevalent after spinal cord injury (SCI), constitute the main cause of death and are a rehabilitation confounder associated with impaired recovery. We hypothesize that SCI causes an acquired lesion-dependent (neurogenic) immune suppression as an underlying mechanism to facilitate infections. The international prospective multicentre cohort study (SCIentinel; protocol registration DRKS00000122; n = 111 patients) was designed to distinguish neurogenic from general trauma-related effects on the immune system.

Solitary, adult-onset, intraosseous myofibroma of the rib: a case report and literature review.

Myofibromas are rare benign tumors with myofibroblastic origin. They occur especially in cutis and subcutaneous tissue of the head and the neck, less frequently on the extremities. Myofibromas grow very slowly and are often painless, which is why patients often present relatively late.

Limb salvage in traumatic hemipelvectomy: case series with surgical management and review of the literature.

Background: Traumatic hemipelvectomies are rare and serious injuries. The surgical management was described in several case studies, with primary amputation often performed to save the patient's life.

Methods: We report of two survivors with complete traumatic hemipelvectomy resulting in ischemia and paralyzed lower extremity.

Benign tumours of foot and ankle.

Musculoskeletal tumours of foot or ankle make up about 4-5% of all musculoskeletal tumours. Fortunately, about 80% of them are benign. However, due to the rarity and low prevalence of each single tumour entity, diagnosis is often difficult and delayed.

Thoracoabdominal Aortic Replacement Together with Curative Oncological Surgery in Retroperitoneal and Spinal Tumours.

Malignancies with an extended encasement or infiltration of the aorta were previously considered inoperable. This series demonstrates replacement and subsequent resection of the thoracoabdominal aorta and its large branches as an adjunct to curative radical retroperitoneal and spinal tumor resection. Five consecutive patients were enrolled between 2016 and 2020, suffering from cancer of unknown primary, pleomorphic carcinoma, chordoma, rhabdoid sarcoma, and endometrial cancer metastasis.

Calibration procedure and biomechanical validation of an universal six degree-of-freedom robotic system for hip joint testing.

Purpose: Among various test methods for different human joints, the use of robot systems has attracted major interest and inherits the potential to become a gold standard in biomechanical testing in the future. A key issue associated with those robot-based platforms is the accurate definition of parameters, e.g.

Microdialysis Reveals Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycanes in the Early Phase of Bone Healing.

Although chronic inflammation inhibits bone healing, the healing process is initiated by an inflammatory phase. In a well-tuned sequence of molecular events, pro-inflammatory cytokines are secreted to orchestrate the inflammation response to injury and the recruitment of progenitor cells. These events in turn activate the secretion of anti-inflammatory signaling molecules and attract cells and mediators that antagonize the inflammation and initiate the repair phase.

Extradural Primary Malignant Spinal Tumors in a Population Younger than 25 Years: An Ambispective International Multicenter Study on Onco-Surgical Outcomes.

Extradural malignant primary spinal tumors are rare and outcome data, especially for younger patients, is limited. In a worldwide (11 centers) study (Predictors of Mortality and Morbidity in the Surgical Management of Primary Tumors of the Spine study; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01643174) by the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor, patients surgically treated for primary tumors of the spine between 1992 and 2012, were retrospectively analyzed from a prospective database of their medical history.