The purpose of this report is to study the function of shoulder joint which was treated with various procedures for bone tumors and tumorous conditions of the proximal humerus.
In our series, there were five bone cysts, three primary bone tumors and two metastatic bone tumors.
Five patients with bone cyst were treated with curettage and bone graft. Five patients, who were three with primary bone tumors and two with metastatic bone tumors, were treated with replacement of humerus head. But one who had metastatic bone tumor had died within one week after operation. Therefore, in nine patients except one, we examined the active motion, passive motion and muscle strength of the shoulder joint, and activities for dairy life. The functional results of shoulder joint of the five patients with curettage and bone graft, and of two patients with replacement of humeral head were sufficient, but that of two patients with replacement of humerual head were insufficient. All patients with replacement of humeral head continued to enjoy near-normal elbow, forearm, wrist and hand function. However, one with replacement of humeral head for osteosarcoma underwent four quater amputation for local recurrence after one year.
The replacement of humeral head is one of the good procedures for the maintemance of extremity function, but we must have attention with local recurrence and metastasis.
