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Alan Turnbull, MD; Jatin Shah, MD; Joseph Fortner, MD

AMA Arch Surg. 1973;106(4):496-498.

Abstract
Sixty patients with recurrent melanoma of an extremity were treated by major amputation. Twelve patients (21%) were free of disease an average of 13 years later. This included two patients who had forequarter amputation and two others who had hemipelvectomy. Eight of the survivors underwent hip disarticulation. There were three postoperative deaths: one from pulmonary embolism, one from splenic rupture because of metastatic melanoma, and one from sepsis. In retrospect, five of the 12 survivors might have been suitable candidates for a preliminary trial of regional perfusion with chemotherapeutic agents.

Amputation appears to be indicated when recurrent disease is extensive or when regional perfusion or other conservative measures have failed. It is encouraging that one out of five such desperately ill patients can still be salvaged by this approach.

Author Affiliations
New York

From the Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Dec 15, 1972.

Read before the 80th annual meeting of the Western Surgical Association, Rochester, Minn, Nov 17, 1972.

Reprint requests to Department of Surgery, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, 444 E 68th St, New York 10021 (Dr. Turnbull).

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