In 1943, Austin Moore developed the first endoprosthesis fashioned from Vitallium, providing the first alternative to traditional amputation as primary treatment of bone tumors. The success of the Vitallium endoprosthesis has since then led to the development of new materials and designs further advancing limb salvage and reconstructive surgery. Combined with the advent of chemotherapy use and imaging advances, conservative treatment of musculoskeletal tumors has expanded greatly. As the implantable options increased with the development of the Lewis expandable adjustable prosthesis and the noninvasive Phenix Growing prosthesis, receiving the diagnosis of a bone tumor no longer equates to automatic limb loss. Our review details the history and development of endoprostheses throughout orthopedic oncology in the treatment of musculoskeletal tumors.

An April 2010 consensus of clinicians from 22 centers in 18 countries reported 1,623 spinal muscular atrophy type 1, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis noninvasive intermittent positive pressure ventilatory support users, of whom 760 developed continuous dependence that prolonged their survival by more than 3,000 patientyears without tracheostomies. Four of the centers routinely extubated unweanable patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, so that none of their more than 250 such patients has undergone tracheotomy. This article describes the manner in which this is accomplished; that is, the use of noninvasive inspiratory and expiratory muscle aids to prevent ventilatory failure and to permit the extubation and tracheostomy tube decannulation of patients with no autonomous ability to breathe (ie, who are "unweanable" from ventilator support). Noninvasive airway pressure aids can provide up to continuous ventilatory support for patients with little or no vital capacity and can provide for effective cough flows for patients with severely dysfunctional expiratory muscles.

Noninvasive respiratory management can prolong survival without resorting to tracheotomy and without hospitalization.

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