Management of a Tibial Plafond Lung Cancer Metastasis Using an Intramedullary Hindfoot Fusion Nail.

UNLABELLED: Metastatic disease to the tibial plafond is rare with few reports in the literature. No consensus exists regarding surgical reconstruction of large structural defects of the ankle due to these lesions, as each treatment must be tailored to the individual patient's goals and prognosis. Cancer metastases pose a unique challenge to limb salvage as there is often bone loss and poor soft tissue quality combined with the need for postoperative adjuvant therapy. The goal of surgery is to obtain early weightbearing, pain relief, and a durable reconstruction that will outlive the patient. In this report, we present the case of an intraarticular fracture of the tibial plafond with severe bone loss due to a lung carcinoma metastasis. The patient was successfully treated with en bloc tumor excision, curettage, argon beam coagulation, tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis using an intramedullary hindfoot fusion nail, and bone cementation with postoperative chemotherapy and radiation. One year after surgery, the patient was able to bear full weight on the extremity without a brace or assistive device and had no pain in the ankle with no local tumor recurrence.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level V: Expert opinion.