Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®
SECTION II ORIGINAL ARTICLES: Tumor
McDonald, Douglas J. MD*; Enneking, William F. MD**; Sundaram, Murali MD†
From the *Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Barnes Jewish Hospital at Washington University, St. Louis, MO; the **University of Florida Health Center, Gainesville, FL; and the †St. Louis University Health Sciences Center, St. Louis, MO.
Reprint requests to Douglas J. McDonald, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Barnes Jewish Hospital at Washington University, Suite 11300 West Pavilion, One Barnes Jewish Hospital Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Received: February 7, 2001.
Revised: June 13, 2001.
Accepted: August 8, 2001.
Abstract
Angiosarcoma is an extremely rare bone tumor. The authors report two cases of patients with angiosarcoma that developed adjacent to a stainless steel plate used for fixation of a femur fracture. In both patients, the interval between fracture treatment and the development of the neoplasm was more than 40 years. A review of the literature found 36 previously reported cases of malignancy arising adjacent to an orthopaedic implant. Despite any evidence directly linking these implants to the development of cancer, continued vigilance is warranted.