[Endoprosthetic replacement following resections of malignant tumors of the extremities (author's transl)].

Due to advances in chemotherapy and endoprothetics, amputation is increasingly being replaced by local resectioning in malignant tumors. While suitable implantations for bridging defects in the proximal humerus and proximal femur are available, prostheses for resectioned tumors in the knee area have not yet been fully developed. From 1966 to 1978, 77 endoprostheses were implanted in 29 primary bone tumors, 3 malignant soft-tissue tumors and 45 bone metastases. There were 43 endoprostheses of the proximal femur, 31 endoprostheses of the proximal humerus and 3 special endoprostheses of the knee region. In most cases, eliminating the tumor radically was successful and a functional extremity was retained.