Is the clavicla pro humero a reliable reconstruction for paediatric proximal humerus sarcomas?

Purpose: The proximal humeral reconstruction is challenging. This study aims to investigate the survival, function and complications of clavicla pro humero (CPH) for pediatric proximal humeral reconstruction.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on eight patients (4 males, and 4 females) who underwent clavicla pro humero reconstruction between January 2009 and December 2020 in our institution. The average age was 10.4 ± 2.7 years (range, 6 to 14 years). The functional outcomes were assessed by the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score (MSTS-93), the Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score and the range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder. The complications and overall survivorship of clavicla pro humero were recorded in the follow-up.

Results: The mean follow-up of all patients was 54.6 ± 23.9 months (range, 24 to 84 months) and 73.3 ± 8.5 months (range, 72 to 84 months) in all survivors. All patients had a bone union at an average of 3.8 months after the initial procedure. Only one patient had no complications in the follow-up. The most common complications were clavicle fracture (87.5%, 7/8), followed by pseudarthrosis (62.5%, 5/8), proximal clavicle osteolysis (37.5%, 3/8) and skin flap necrosis (12.5%, 1/8). The average MSTS-93 score was 79% (range, 73-86%), the average TESS was 82% (range, 76-86%) and the average ASES was 70% (68-73%), respectively.

Conclusions: The clavicla pro humero procedure provides rapid bone union but has a high complication rate. Therefore, we do not recommend this technique as a routine surgical procedure for paediatric proximal humeral reconstruction when other methods are available.

Level of evidence: level IV therapeutic study.