Palliative Surgery
Palliative surgery in orthopaedic oncology aims to relieve pain, preserve function, and improve quality of life in patients with advanced or incurable musculoskeletal malignancies.
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Indications for palliative surgery include pathological fractures, intractable pain, spinal cord compression, neurovascular compromise, and loss of ambulation or function.Common procedures include intramedullary nailing, modular endoprostheses, or stabilization with bone cement (e.g., PMMA). Vertebroplasty and decompressive laminectomy may be used in spinal metastases.The focus is not on oncological margins, but rather on rapid recovery and symptom relief.Multidisciplinary assessment is crucial to balance surgical risk with expected benefit, considering the patient’s performance status and life expectancy.
