Introduction: Upper extremity limb amputation has been largely abandoned for malignant disease. These operations can be useful in certain situations and should remain in the armamentarium of the general surgeon.
Methods: We present a case of a left upper extremity forequarter amputation for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).
Results: A 71 year old female presented for evaluation of metastatic focus in the left trapezius muscle after a prolonged disease-free interval. Several attempts were made to control this disease with locoregional and systemic therapy with minimal response. She experienced tremendous pain, lost arm function, and had episodes of bleeding (with threat to her life) due to local invasion. She underwent a left upper extremity forequarter amputation with immediate resolution of pain and great patient satisfaction. Pathology revealed 10.5 and 3 cm foci of mRCC with negative surgical margins.
Conclusion: Forequarter amputation can be effective for cancer and symptom control in select patients. We believe this to be the first publicly available intra-operative video of a forequarter amputation. We hope it will serve as a guide to others.