Bone mineral density changes in a free vascularised fibular graft in the distal femoral bone after osteosarcoma in a 10-year-old boy: a 7-year follow-up.

A 10-year-old boy presented with continuous reports of pain located to the left knee. Imaging revealed a sclerotic process in the left distal femur, and biopsies were consistent with chondroblastic osteosarcoma. As part of standard treatment the patient underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by limb sparring surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. The entire tumour was excised and femoral bone reconstruction was performed with a double barrel free vascularised fibular graft. Bone mineral density (BMD) can be decreased in childhood survivors of cancer. The patient was followed for 7 years with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans in order to assess BMD and graft adaption. Despite two accidental fractures to the graft region local and global BMD underwent an overall increase. Approximately 7 years after tumour resection the patient had a global Z-score of 0.2, which is considered within normal range.