A Unique Way of Treatment of Giant Cell Tumor of the Distal Femur in a 19-Year-Old Female, a Case Report

Abstract

Elsa Daniel Alemayehu, Eskinder Kebede Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma, College of Health Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Elsa Daniel Alemayehu, Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma Department, Black Lion Hospital, College of Health Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Giant Cell tumors (GCT) are benign tumors with aggressive characteristics and the potential to metastasize. These are seldom lethal benign bone tumors but are associated with massive local bony architecture distraction making their treatment difficult, especially if found in peri-articular locations. Several long bone giant cell tumor (GCT) cases have been reported. We report a unique treatment of distal femur GCT in a 19-year-old in a resource-limited setup whose initial presentation was following a pathologic fracture. We used a staged surgical protocol. In the first stage, distal femur resection and implantation of poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) cement spacer for induced membrane formation was done, followed by SIGN nail and non-vascularized fibula strut graft. There was adequate healing and no recurrence was noted during the two-year follow-up.Keywords: distal femur, fracture, giant cell tumor, GCT, SIGN nail, peri-articular, polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA, vascularized fibula graft

Keywords

• distal femur
• fracture
• giant cell tumor
• gct
• sign nail
• peri-articular
• polymethyl methacrylate
• pmma
• vascularized fibula graft