CORR Insights®: Is a Nomogram Able to Predict Postoperative Wound Complications in Localized Soft-tissue Sarcomas of the Extremity?

In the current study, Bedi and colleagues [1] provided a novel method to predict an individual’s risk of postoperative wound complications in localized soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremity. After controlling for confounding variables, they found that increasing age, higher BMI, tumor location in the lower extremity, and use of neoadjuvant (preoperative) radiotherapy were associated with an increased likelihood that a wound complication would arise, which is consistent with several large retrospective studies [5, 10, 11]. Although the 5-year local control rates for soft-tissue sarcoma of the extremity could be 88% or higher [4, 8, 12], wound complications following limb sparing surgery combined with radiotherapy are as high as 30.2% [10], and complications of this sort can compromise limb function and diminish a patient’s quality of life. The other studies that have evaluated factors associated with wound complications after extremity soft-tissue sarcoma resection also found smoking, diabetes, flap reconstruction, and increasing tumor size might be associated with an increased risk of wound complications as well [5, 10, 11]. In general, these factors can be categorized into three types: Patient-related (elements like BMI and diabetes), tumor-related (tumor volume and location), and treatmentrelated (neoadjuvant radiotherapy and flap reconstruction). Where Do We Need to Go?