Background and objectives: Megaprostheses are the most used reconstructive approach for patients who have undergone massive resection of their distal femurs due to bone tumors. Although the literature about their outcomes has flourished in recent decades, to date, a consensus on rehabilitative treatment is yet to be established. In this study, we report on our experience with our latest standardized rehabilitation program, evaluating our results in a mid-to-long-term scenario.
Materials and methods: We evaluated the functional results of all our oncologic patients treated between 2016 and 2022 who could follow our standardized post-operative rehabilitative approach, consisting of progressive knee mobilization and early weight-bearing.
Results: Sixteen cases were included in our study. The average duration of the patients' hospitalization was 12.2 days. A standing position was reached on average 4.1 days after surgery, while assisted walking was started 4.5 days after surgery. After a mean post-operative follow-up of 46.7 months, our patients' mean MSTS score was 23.2 (10-30). Our data suggest that the sooner patients could achieve a standing position (R = -0.609; p = 0.012) and start walking (R = -0.623; p = 0.010), the better their final functional outcomes regarding their MSTS scores.
Conclusions: Rehabilitation should be considered a pivotal factor in decreeing the success of distal femur megaprosthetic implants in long-surviving oncologic patients. Correct rehabilitation, focused on early mobilization and progressive weight-bearing, is crucial to maximizing the post-operative functional outcomes of these patients.
Keywords: functionality; megaprosthesis; orthopedic oncology; physical therapy; rehabilitation.