Chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses a significant treatment challenge for vascular surgeons, interventionalists, podiatrists, and associated medical specialists. The evidence for what constitutes appropriate care is rapidly evolving and new treatment options are in constant development. This review examines the current guidelines for CLTI care, as well as reported outcomes for multiple care strategies in this patient population, including revascularization and medical optimization. We performed a literature review of the PubMed database, reviewing articles that reported outcomes for CLTI care between 2000 and 2023, and described these outcomes as they relate to the current state of CLTI treatment. Significant data are still forthcoming regarding CLTI care, but widespread adoption of appropriate CLTI care is essential for the treatment of this vulnerable population.

BACKGROUND: Bone radiation-induced sarcomas (B-RIS) are secondary neoplasms with reportedly worse overall survival than de novo bone sarcoma. Treatment strategy for these neoplasms remains uncertain. Our systematic review sought to assess overall survival based on histology and surgical intervention.
METHODS: A systemic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (438415). Studies describing oncologic outcomes of patients with B-RIS in the appendicular and axial skeleton were included. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist was used for quality assessment. Survival analysis by histologic subtype and surgery type was performed in a subset of 234 patients from 11 articles with individualized data. A total of 20 articles with a total of 566 patients were included. The most frequent location was the pelvis (27.7%), and the main histological types were osteosarcoma (69.4%), undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (14.1%), and fibrosarcoma (9.2%). Limb-salvage and amputation were performed in 68.5% and 31.5% of cases, respectively.
RESULTS: Local recurrence was 13%, without difference between limb-salvage surgery and amputation (p = 0.51). The metastasis rate was 42.3%. Five-year OS was 43.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33.3%-53.5%) for osteosarcoma, 31.5% (95% CI, 11.3%-54.2%) for UPS, and 28.1% (95% CI, 10.6%-48.8%) for fibrosarcoma. Five-year OS was 49.2% (95% CI, 35.3%-61.6%) for limb-salvage and 46.9% (95% CI, 29.1%-62.9%) for amputation. There was no difference in 5-year OS between histologic subtypes (p = 0.18) or treatment type (p = 0.86).
CONCLUSIONS: B-RIS demonstrated poor OS at 5 years after initial management regardless of histology. Limb-salvage surgery was not associated with lower 5-year OS compared with amputation. Future studies should compare both groups while controlling for confounders.
METHODS: Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

BACKGROUND: Total femur replacement (TFR) has become increasingly significant as a salvage procedure for both oncologic reconstruction and complex nononcologic conditions such as revision arthroplasty. Despite its effectiveness in limb salvage, TFR is associated with high complication and failure rates, which vary depending on the underlying indication.
METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases was conducted, focusing on studies that reported outcomes of TFR in oncologic and nononcologic cases. Primary outcomes included failure mode and rates according to the Henderson classification, functional outcomes scores, and mobility status. Data were analyzed using random-effects models and generalized linear mixed models.
RESULTS: A total of 35 studies involving 1,002 patients were included. The majority of TFRs were performed for oncologic reasons (63.7%). The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score was 66%, with a limb salvage rate of 89%. The meta-analysis revealed a combined failure rate of 34%. For type 4 failures (infection), nononcologic patients exhibited a significantly higher rate at 18% (95% confidence interval [CI], 12%-26%, I2 = 46%, p < 0.01) compared with 8% in oncologic patients (95% CI, 6%-12%, I2 = 0%). Regarding combined types 1 to 4 failures, oncologic patients had a rate of 20% (95% CI, 25%-52%, I2 = 60%), whereas nononcologic patients faced a higher rate of 37% (95% CI, 12%-26%, I2 = 63%) (p < 0.05), indicating a significant difference. There were no significant differences in the MSTS score. In addition, there were no notable differences when comparing failure modes 1, 2, and 3 independently. Mobility analysis showed that approximately 70% of patients required walking aids after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS: TFR offers a valuable limb salvage option in both oncologic and nononcologic scenarios, despite its high failure rates. Although functional outcomes were similar between groups, the higher failure rate in nononcologic cases and the poor overall quality of evidence warrant further comprehensive assessments into predictors of outcomes to optimize results.
METHODS: Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

BACKGROUND: Peri-megaprosthetic joint infections (PJI) in tumor surgery are complex and challenging complications that significantly impact the outcomes of the patients. The occurrence of PJI poses a substantial threat to the success of these operations. This review aims to identify and summarize the risk factors associated with PJI in tumor surgery with megaprosthetic reconstruction as well as to determine the overall risk of PJI in limb salvage surgery.
METHODS: A thorough examination of published literature, scrutinizing the incidence of PJI in tumor prostheses after limb salvage surgery was done. Research studies that documented the incidence of PJI in tumor patients who underwent limb salvage surgery, and explored the risk factors associated with the occurrence of PJI were deemed eligible.
RESULTS: A total of 15 studies were included in the analysis and underwent comprehensive examination. After the exploration of key parameters, several significant risk factors for PJI concerning the type of implant coating, surgical site characteristics, patient demographics, and procedural factors were recorded.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the need for a nuanced approach in managing tumor patients undergoing limb salvage surgery and megaprosthetic reconstruction, with emphasis on individualized risk assessments and individualized preventive strategies.

UNASSIGNED: Total humeral endoprosthetic reconstruction (THER) is a rare reconstruction option for limb salvage surgery for large humeral neoplasms or bone destruction.
UNASSIGNED: Because of the limited data and need for this procedure, we reviewed the literature surrounding THER and assessed functionality, complications, and revisions using the PubMed, Embase, Ovid, and Scopus databases.
UNASSIGNED: Among 29 articles and 175 patients, the most common indication was neoplasm (n=25, 86%), mean follow-up was 61.98 months (SD=55.25 months), and mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was 73.64% (SD=10.69%). Reported complications included 26 (23%) revisions in 7 studies, 35 (36%) cases of shoulder instability in 7 studies, and 13 (13.54%) cases of deep infection in 4 studies.
UNASSIGNED: THER should be considered with a thorough knowledge of outcomes and potential complications to guide patient and clinician expectations. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(3):e106-e113.].

BACKGROUND: Heparin-bonded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (hb-ePTFE) synthetic grafts are an alternative to autologous vein grafts (AVG) for surgical bypass interventions in lower limb peripheral arterial disease (LLPAD). However, the clinical benefits of hb-ePTFE grafts have not been reviewed systematically for patients undergoing below-the-knee (BK) surgical bypass. This study aimed to meta-analyze available data on the utility of hb-ePTFE in patients undergoing BK surgical bypass.
METHODS: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched, restricted to material in English with no date restriction. In addition, proceedings from relevant congresses were screened going back 2 years. The search was performed in December 2021. Eligible studies included prospective or retrospective comparative studies or prospective single-arm cohorts with an hb-ePTFE arm. Methodological quality was assessed with the ROBINS-I criteria. Outcomes included primary patency, amputation/limb salvage, and overall survival. Clinical outcomes were expressed as event rates. Studies were compared using meta-analysis to generate a standardized mean event rate for each outcome, with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI), using a random-effects model.
RESULTS: Following deduplication, 10,263 records were identified and 261 were assessed as full texts. No prospective comparative studies were identified. The level of evidence was uniformly low. Seventeen publications describing data from 9 individual patient cohorts met the inclusion criteria. These cohorts included a total of 1,452 patients undergoing BK surgical bypass with hb-ePTFE. The primary patency rate was 78.9% [95% CI: 72.2-85.7%] at 1 year, 68.2% [95% CI: 62.8-73.6%] at 2 years, decreasing to 48.0% [95% CI: 27.3-68.7%] at 5 years. The secondary patency rate was 84.8% [95% CI: 77.0-92.5%] at 1 year and 68.9% [95% CI: 43.0-94.9%] at 3 years; the 1-year limb salvage rate was 88.3% [95% CI: 79.6-97.1%] at 1 year and 79.0% [95% CI: 56.7-100%] at 3 years.
CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing BK bypass surgery, hb-ePTFE synthetic grafts, compared to uncoated grafts, perform well for patency and limb salvage. However, the quality of the evidence is low, and well-performed randomized clinical trials are needed to inform clinical decision-making on the choice of synthetic graft.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular deep vein arteriaization (DVA) is a novel technique aimed at salvaging peripheral arterial disease unamenable to conventional surgical intervention. This study aims to review contemporary literature on the efficacy, safety, and durability of DVA on patients with no-option critical limb ischemia (NO-CLI).
METHODS: The study was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, using predefined search terms of \"percutaneous deep vein arterialization\" or \"percutaneous deep venous arterialization\" in PubMed, Web of Sciences, OvidSP, and Embase. Only studies with 5 or more patients were included, and studies involving open or hybrid DVA were excluded. The primary outcomes included technical success and primary amputation rates. Secondary outcomes included rates of wound healing, complication, reintervention, and all-cause mortality.
RESULTS: Ten studies encompassing a total of 233 patients were included. Patients were primarily those deemed to have NO-CLI. The median follow-up period was 12 months (range 1-63 months). The technical success rate was 97% (95% confidence interval [CI] 96.2%-97.9%) and the major amputation rate was 21.8% (95% 21.1%-22.4%). The wound healing rate was 69.5% (95% CI 67.9-71.0%), complication rate was 13.8% (95% CI 11.7%-15.9%), reintervention rate was 37.4% (95% CI 34.9%-39.9%), and all-cause mortality rate was 15.7% (95% CI 14.1%-17.2%).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that endovascular DVA is safe for patients with NO-CLI. Nonetheless, studies were small with follow-up period of less than 1 year. There is currently lack of level 1 evidence to recommend routine use in patients with NO-CLI.

METHODS: Rotationplasty is a surgical procedure used for restoring functionality after skeletal tumor resection. Multiple complications have been described, including the potential occurrence of fractures. Literature on fracture management after rotationplasty is limited. In this article, we present 2 cases of late ipsilateral fractures in rotated limbs successfully treated with intramedullary nailing.
CONCLUSIONS: Effective management of fractures after rotationplasty requires thorough understanding of the rotated limb anatomy and careful planning. The clinical considerations presented in this article aim to provide guidance for surgeons to achieve successful outcomes in the management of fractures after rotationplasty.

UNASSIGNED: Currently there is limited literature available on fungating soft tissue sarcoma and its effect of outcomes. In the current study we evaluated the surgical management and oncologic outcomes of patient with fungating soft tissue sarcoma.
UNASSIGNED: This was a retrospective observational study of patients with fungating sarcoma between January 2015 till January 2019 at a tertiary cancer care centre. A total of 59 patients were considered of which 16 had metastasis at presentation. The duration of symptoms prior to presentation averaged 10.2 months (median, 7.2months; range, 1-57 months). Median tumor length was 10 cm.
UNASSIGNED: 56% patients underwent amputation and 44% were treated with limb salvage. Following limb salvage surgery in10 cases primary closure of defect was performed and 6 cases required skin grafting for closure of defect. In 6 patients local flap was used for coverage of defect and 4 patients required free flap surgery. Two-year overall survival (OS) of the study cohort were 52.2% and 58% respectively. Two-year disease free survival (DFS) and OS in 43 non metastatic patients at presentation was seen in 58%(95% CI,38%-74%) and 66.5%(95% CI,42%-81%) respectively. The two-year disease OS in 16 patients with metastasis at presentation was 33.2 %. On univariate analysis, tumor size and metastatic at presentation had significant effect on survival.
UNASSIGNED: Tumor size and metastatic at presentation has significant impact on survival in these patients. The oncologic outcomes including Disease free survival, overall survival and local recurrence rates similar amongst the two surgical modalities (amputation versus limb salvage). Amputation rates are more amongst fungating soft tissue sarcoma but limb salvage can be attempted whenever feasible keeping tumor free surgical margins under consideration.

The treatment of patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is extremely complex, requiring a comprehensive approach that involves a variety of different healthcare professionals. Several studies have shown that a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is useful to achieve good clinical outcomes, reducing major and minor amputation and increasing the chance of healing. Despite this, the multidisciplinary approach is not always a recognized treatment strategy. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the effects of an MDT approach on major adverse limb events, healing, time-to-heal, all-cause mortality, and other clinical outcomes in patients with active DFUs. The present meta-analysis was performed for the purpose of developing Italian guidelines for the treatment of diabetic foot with the support of the Italian Society of Diabetology (Società Italiana di Diabetologia, SID) and the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD). The study was performed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. All randomized clinical trials and observational studies, with a duration of at least 26 weeks, which compared the MDT approach with any other organizational strategy in the management of patients with DFUs were considered. Animal studies were excluded. A search of Medline and Embase databases was performed up until the May 1st, 2023. Patients managed by an MDT were reported to have better outcomes in terms of healing, minor and major amputation, and survival in comparison with those managed using other approaches. No data were found on quality of life, returning-to-walking, and emergency admission. Authors concluded that the MDT may be effective in improving outcomes in patients with DFUs.