Orthopaedic management of bony metastases of renal cancer.

Pain and loss of function of the skeleton are the main symptoms of patients with bony metastases of renal cancer. Experience with 57 patients (40 of them had 52 operations) shows the surgical possibilities for early restoration of function and pain relief. Metastases were mainly localized in the femur, vertebral column, and humerus. Surgical management after nephrectomy consisted either in curettage and stabilization with plates and bone cement in case of multiple metastases or in resection and endoprosthetic treatment for solitary lesions. Thus the quality of life could be improved in every case. Survival time and primary diagnosis of hypernephroma prior to the detection of bony metastases are closely related.