ABSTRACT

Prior to the 1970s, amputation was the only choice of treatment for sarcoma of the extremities. Limb salvage surgery became possible with advances in medical imaging, chemotherapy, and implant technology (1-4). Modern chemotherapy helps to minimize surgical margins, allowing preservation of the maximum amount of healthy tissue without compromising limb function (4,5). Limb salvage surgery becomes even more important nowadays when a long-term survival is anticipated in patients with sarcoma, and especially with osteosarcoma (1,5-7).