Limb Reconstruction Resources & FAQs

If there are multiple tumors in the bones, surgery may not be the best option. In this situation, the decision to have surgery is between the individual and surgeon, and is based on the type of cancer, where it has spread in the bones and their functional status. Those who don’t qualify for surgery may be offered treatment with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, both in combination (chemoradiation), another drug regimen, or participation in a clinical trial investigating a new treatment.

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health’s orthopedic surgeons use modular bone and joint replacements, metal plates and screws, thin metal rods, bone cement, and bone transplant tissue. The surgeon may use your own tissue harvested from another site in the body or tissue from a donor to reconstruct the bone. The type and size of materials used will depend on the surgery being performed and the amount of reconstruction required.

In people with cancer, limb reconstruction surgery is performed at the same time as surgery to remove the tumor. Surgery may occur before or after a course of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Limb reconstruction also is indicated when a fracture has not healed properly or when there is traumatic injury to an extremity.

In people with cancer, the orthopedic surgeon will remove the tumor and a margin of normal tissue surrounding it, and then reconstruct the bone and/or joint using the patient's own bone or bone from a donor. If necessary, a specialized modular joint replacement may be used. The bone is stabilized using metal plates, rods and screws.

The specialized team performing surgery includes a vascular surgeon to help rebuild the circulatory system and a plastic surgeon who specializes in microvascular surgery and muscle transfer.

Your surgeon will discuss the reconstructive surgery you're having.

The duration of limb reconstruction surgery depends on the type of operation being performed and the amount of reconstruction required. Surgery can last from two to eight hours. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has one of the best anesthesia programs in the country. You’ll be well cared for during your operation by your anesthesiologist.

All precautions to ensure patient safety are taken prior to every surgery at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. However, as with any surgery, some risks remain, such as the possibility of infection, excessive blood loss, and blood clot development. The incidence of these risks occurring is very small. Over time, some joint replacements, metal plates, screws, or rods can loosen and require revision. This risk occurs infrequently because of better patient selection, surgical techniques and improved implanted materials.

The length of rehabilitation will depend on the type of surgery performed and the patient's own functional status. Normally, rehabilitation after limb reconstructive surgery can take anywhere from six weeks to six months. Most people will regain full function and a normal lifestyle.