During the 10-year period 1981-1990, 59 patients suffering from spinal cord or cauda equina compression underwent anterior spinal decompression and in most cases spinal restabilization with methylmethacrylate cement and/or instrumentation. Follow-up in 55 patients showed that 75% were improved neurologically by the procedure, one-third of these showing complete recovery from the spinal cord compression. The results in younger female patients suffering from metastatic breast cancer were considerably better than those of older men with prostatic metastases. Other genitourinary system tumors also had a relatively poorer prognosis. There was a significantly better result for metastatic lesions of the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine than for lesions in the lumbar spine causing cauda equina paralysis.

A case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the left forearm is described. The clinicopathological findings are reviewed and the salvage treatment, which included excision and immediate reconstruction with a free rectus abdominis muscle flap followed by brachytherapy is reported. The literature is reviewed and the advantages of this particular treatment are emphasized.

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volumeVol. 75-B, No. 2 ArticlesFree AccessThe subcapsular approach for lesions of the femoral neckR Mosheiff, GC Robin, Y Mattan, E SucherR MosheiffSearch for more papers by this author, GC RobinSearch for more papers by this author, Y MattanSearch for more papers by this author, E SucherSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:1 Mar 1993https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.75B2.8444963AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to FavouritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByPERCUTANEOUS REMOVAL OF OSTEOID OSTEOMARadiologic Clinics of North America, Vol. 36, No. 3 Vol. 75-B, No. 2 Metrics Downloaded 10 times History Published online 1 March 1993 Published in print 1 March 1993 InformationCopyright © 1993, The British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery: All rights reservedPDF download

The strange case of a 37-year-old modern, Western woman who presented with a giant black mass on her inner right thigh is presented. She was treated 10 months before this present admission by an excision of a nodular melanoma, and she was treated, thereafter, by a homeopathic practitioner until she came late to follow-up. The woman is discussed with special attention to the fact that alternative medicine does not always constitute good advice, and the relevant literature is reviewed.