The histopathological patterns of skin conditions as seen at Kenyatta national hospital Kenya, over a ten year period

Abstract

The thigh is a common seat for tumours. Many histopathological types can arise there. Management challenges begin from the clinical diagnosis, to the surgery and ultimately the oncological therapy be it medical or radiation based. Objective: To review the thigh tumours prospectively managed by the authors over a 12 year period. Design: A 12 year prospective observational study. Setting: Ward 6D of the Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. An Orthopaedic Unit. Patients and Methods: Forty one patients admitted to Ward 6D with thigh tumours between 1st October 1999 and 30th September 2011 and treated by the authors in consecutive and prospective sequence are analysed. Results: Forty one patients with thigh tumours treated prospectively over the 12 year period. Conclusion: Twenty three histopathological varieties of tumours occured in the thigh and their diagnosis and management encompased incisional biopsy, excisional biopsy, curretage and bone grafting, amputation and hind quarter disarticlation. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were administered. Distant metastases necesitated specialised surgical procedures.