Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (NART) is often used in the treatment of extremity soft tissue sarcomas (STS) including myxoid liposarcoma (MLS). Postoperative major wound complications (WC) are a well-recognised problem following NART.

A review of the literature regarding the definition and incidence of WC following NART and surgery for STS and a retrospective review of a single surgeon series of 25 MLS.

A literature search for papers focusing on MLS, NART and WC was performed, with 12 papers being reviewed. Retrospective data from a single surgeon series of 25 patients with MLS, treated with NART and surgery, were reviewed, focussing on WC.

The average rate of WC from the 12 papers included was 29·4% (20–47%), and the average rate of reoperation was 15·6% (7·3–24%). There were a range of definitions used for WC, most commonly O’Sullivan’s definition. In the single surgeon series, two patients (8%) developed WC and were treated conservatively, and there were no reoperations within 120 days.

This literature review identified that there was a lack of consistency between the definitions used for major WC. The single surgeon series of MLS showed WC that were lower when compared to the reviewed literature (8% versus 29·4%).