Timing of surgery for benign periacetabular tumor: virtual finite element analysis and clinical verification on 39 cases
Abstract BackgroundThe treatment of periacetabular tumor has always been met with great challenges, including the lack of a standard for the timing of surgery. The purposes of this study were to predict the risk for fracture by finite element analysis of benign periacetabular tumor; to guide the timing of operation; and to verify the practical application of this standard through clinical cases. MethodsBone defects in different areas of the acetabulum were constructed, and the fracture risk was predicted by finite element analysis. According to the results of finite element analysis and Enneking classification, the patients with benign periacetabular tumor were divided into the low fracture risk noninvasive lesion, low fracture risk invasive lesion, and high fracture risk groups. The grouping was used to guide the timing of operation. ResultsThis study included 39 patients who were followed-up for at least two years to verify the effectiveness of this program. The 12 patients in the low risk noninvasive lesion group that did not undergo operation showed no obvious pathological changes and no pathological fracture; there was no significant difference in the MSTS-93 score between the first and last visits (P > 0.05). The 7 patients in the low risk invasive lesion group were treated with adjuvant therapy before the operation; the MSTS-93 score was significantly lower on the first visit than on the last visit (P < 0.05). The 20 cases that had high risk for fracture underwent surgery after the diagnosis; of these, 13 patients achieved osseointegration of the graft bone and 7 patients had no prosthesis loosening, detachment, displacement or rupture after prosthesis replacement. The MSTS-93 score significantly improved from a preoperative value of 19.61 ± 7.32 to a final follow-up value of 26.28 ± 15.59 (P < 0.01). ConclusionsOur study confirmed that for benign periacetabular tumor, finite element analysis, combined with the nature of the tumor, can predict the risk for acetabular fracture and guide the appropriate timing and method of operation, thereby, enabling a safe therapeutic effect.