Grafting for bone defects after curettage of benign bone tumor – Analysis of factors influencing the bone healing

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Simple bone cyst often weaken bone properties and predispose to pathological fractures, requiring tumor excision and the filling of bone defects with grafts to prevent complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors potentially affecting the quality and efficiency of graft healing. METHODS: This study retrospectively assessed 84 patients with simple bone cysts who had undergone tumor excision and filling of the bone defects with grafts between 2004 and 2014. Various patient-, tumor- and treatment-related factors that could potentially influence radiologic healing status and time to stable healing were evaluated. RESULTS: Bone healing was not related to gender and age. Graft type was not significantly correlated with both radiologic healing status or time to stable healing. Only two of all variables evaluated were significantly correlated with the prognosis: (1) Tumors location: patients with tumors located at proximal femur were significantly more likely to achieve complete healing (Neer I) (OR = 3.2; 95%CI, 1.29-8.00; p = 0.011). (2) Tumor length: patients with a tumor length less than 6.2 cm, complete healing was nearly five times more likely to occur (OR = 4.84; 95% CI, 1.83-12.84; p = 0.002). Degree of graft filling of the bone defects affected the time to stable healing. The average healing times were 4.86 months for filling degree ≥90% and 5.94 months for filling degrees <90%, respectively (p = 0.009). Postoperative re-fracture occurred in one case. CONCLUSION: Factors influencing the quality of bone healing following intralesional curettage and bone grafting are proximal femur location and tumor length. A greater degree of graft filling can contribute to higher bone healing efficiency.