FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF UPPER LIMB RECONSTRUCTION AFTER RESECTION OF SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA

Objective: To determine the functional outcome of upper limb reconstruction after resection of soft tissue sarcoma. Study Design: Retrospective Cohort Study Place and Duration of Study: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Shifa International Hospital Islamabad Pakistan, from January 2013 to December 2022 Methodology: A total of Fifty-five patients including both genders with the age range of 18 to 70 years, requiring upper limb reconstruction after resection of soft tissue sarcoma were included in this study. The WHO Sample Size calculator calculated the sample size with a 90% proportion of excellent functional outcome of upper limb reconstruction surgery for extremity sarcoma and a 5% significance level. Patients were clinically evaluated up to a six-month follow-up period using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) Score to evaluate functional outcomes. Functional outcomes were labelled as excellent (>25 score), Good (20-25 Score), Satisfactory (10-19 Score) and Poor (< 10 score). Results: The Mean Baseline MSTS Score was 7.78+2.105 while the six-month Mean follow-up MSTS Score was 23.53+3.829. There was a statistically significant difference between the MSTS Scores of pre and post-operatively with a p-value < 0.001. Free flaps had 51.4% of Excellent functional outcomes while the Pedicled flaps had 30.0% of Excellent functional outcomes. Fifty-one (92.7%) patients had no complications while only 01 (1.8%) patient had partial flap loss and 03 (5.5%) patients had complications of wound infection and delayed wound healing. Conclusion: Excellent functional outcome was achieved in the appropriate immediate reconstruction of the soft tissue defect following sarcoma resection in the upper limb.