Outcomes of revision total hip arthroplasty using a vascularised anterior femoral window

Purpose

Extraction of the distal femoral cement mantle and restrictor during revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) is challenging and can compromise host bone stock. The aim of this study is to report outcomes of our femoral windowing technique for cement removal.

Methods

We report on a cohort of 36 patients with an average age of 68.7 years who underwent 40 cemented rTHA between 2011 and 2017 using a vascularised anterior femoral window. Clinical and radiological outcomes were retrospectively reviewed with a mean follow-up of 6.6 years (range, 3.8–10).

Results

Latest mean WOMAC score was 25.4 and all windows achieved radiographic union by a mean of 7.9 weeks. Femoral component survivorship was 100% and 38 out of 40 rTHAs showed no evidence of radiological loosening.

Conclusion

The vascularised anterior window to remove the distal femoral cement mantle under direct vision is safe and reproducible with excellent clinical and radiographic results.

     

股骨皮质骨开窗技术在髋关节翻修术中的应用

目的 探讨股骨前外侧皮质骨开窗技术在髋关节翻修术中取出股骨远端稳定固定骨水泥的价值.方法 2005年5月至2009年6月,共14例(14髋)因各种原因致髋关节置换术后失败患者接受全髋关节翻修手术.其中男性10例,女性4例,年龄54～75岁,平均66岁.翻修原因为股骨头置换术后髋臼磨损5例、全髋关节置换术后假体周围骨溶解并松动6例、骨水泥柄股骨近端骨溶解柄断裂1例、髋臼骨溶解假体松动翻修同时行股骨柄翻修1例,感染后二期翻修时远端骨水泥取出困难1例.14例(14髋)股骨柄均为骨水泥同定.术中按术前计划开窗部位、开窗范围于股骨皮质骨开一长方形骨窗.通过骨窗直视下彻底清除髓腔内稳定固定的骨水泥,修整股骨髓腔.植入翻修柄后将皮质骨开窗骨瓣原位回植,双股钢丝捆绑固定.术后定期随访拍摄x线片.观察皮质骨开窗骨瓣与周围骨愈合情况、骨瓣有无移位、股骨柄有无下沉以及有无捆绑钢丝断裂等.结果 10例患者术后获得随访,平均随访时间24.6个月.股骨皮质骨开窗长度2.5～6.0 cm,平均3.4 cm,宽度0.8～1.4 cm,平均1.2 cm.股骨开窗远端以远部分发生纵形劈裂骨折1例.无术中皮质骨穿孔及股骨干骨折.向远段扩大开窗1例,扩大长度1.5 cm.开窗部位皮质骨骨瓣原位回植选择2～3道双股钢丝固定,平均2.3道.随访期间2例发牛假体柄下沉(平均2.5 mm),无皮质骨瓣移位以及捆绑钢丝断裂,术后3～5个月皮质骨瓣已于周围骨纤维愈合.随访期间无一例因各种原因致再次翻修.结论 股骨皮质骨开窗技术在髋关节翻修术中有助于直视下彻底取出股骨髓腔远端稳定固定的骨水泥,同时不会造成股骨骨丢失、不影响翻修柄植入后的稳定固定.     

Simultaneous proximal femoral rotational and distal femoral varus osteotomies for femoral retroversion and genu valgum

Whereas excess femoral anteversion and its related symptoms have been described many times, excess femoral retroversion is less well documented. We report the case of a 30-year-old woman who had a history of chronic bilateral hip and knee pain and evidence of excess femoral retroversion, genu valgum, early-onset lateral and patellofemoral compartment osteoarthritis of both knees, and hip arthritis. She experienced symptomatic relief after undergoing staged bilateral simultaneous proximal femoral rotational and distal femoral lateral opening wedge osteotomies. Although this combination of alignment problems is not an infrequent clinical occurrence, we have found no literature on this condition or treatment. The patient provided written informed consent for print and electronic publication of this case report.     

Aneurysm of the femoral vein as differential diagnosis of femoral hernia

Venous aneurysms are rare, especially those of the femoral vein. Groin hernias and femoral hernias are in contrast to this more frequent enteties. The literature includes only six cases of aneurysms of the femoral vein. We report on a 61-year-old patient who underwent an operation for femoral hernia. An aneurysm of the femoral vein was found intraoperatively and directly resected. The differential diagnosis of femoral hernias and the following diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are described.     

Use of a custom stemless anatomic femoral component for an incarcerated femoral reamer

Most modern femoral components used in total hip arthroplasty have stems that engage a certain length of the femoral diaphysis. Retained hardware can pose a problem with placement of the femoral component during total hip arthroplasty and often require removal. A patient presented for total hip arthroplasty with a retained reamer in the proximal femur from a previous revision knee arthroplasty. The reamer's position precluded placement of a standard femoral component without removal of the reamer. We report the use of a stemless anatomical femoral component, which avoided having to remove the retained reamer.     

Minimally invasive femoral nail extraction

Introduction Case report about a minimally invasive technique for removal of a femoral antegrade nail (FAN). Femoral nails are introduced by minimally invasive techniques, but are often removed with more invasive surgery.Materials and methods Four cases of young patients are described in whom the femoral nail was removed after consolidation by a minimally invasive extraction technique at the trochanteric site. By using a threaded wire for locating the proximal entrance of the femoral nail followed by reaming over the wire, the entrance of the nail in the trochanteric region is freed. Then the extraction bolt can be placed over the wire and the nail can be extracted through the same incision as it was inserted in, without enlarging the incision.Discussion This case report discusses a technique for minimally invasive femoral nail extraction, not the necessity of removing nails. Leaving out the endcap at the initial operation is the only preoperative condition, since the endcap blocks the entrance of the nail. This operation is done with fluoroscopic guidance. The difficult part is the reaming. The reamer must not be damaged when approaching the nail entrance. This minimally invasive femoral nail extraction technique is applicable for various types of femoral nails.Conclusion Minimally invasive extraction of femoral nails is possible and needs more attention. The level of evidence is a level IV case series.Concerning funding, there was no financial support for this report.     

Retrograde femoral nailing complicated by spurious fracture of the femoral neck

The presence of a fracture of the femoral neck and ipsilateral diaphyseal femur fracture has been reported previously. In all femoral shaft fractures, scrutiny of the femoral neck is mandatory in order to direct proper management toward this potentially devastating complication. This report discusses a case of an intraoperative radiographic artifact secondary to retrograde nailing of a femoral shaft fracture which may be interpreted as an occult or iatrogenic ipsilateral fracture of the femoral neck. The etiology of this artifact and its proper interpretation are described.     

Proximal femoral nail for treatment of trochanteric femoral fractures

PURPOSE: To report outcomes of 87 consecutive patients treated with a proximal femoral nail (PFN) for trochanteric femoral fractures. METHODS: 17 men and 70 women aged 58 to 95 (mean, 85) years with trochanteric femoral fractures underwent PFN fixation using an intramedullary nail, a lag screw, and a hip pin. Fractures were classified according to the AO system; the most common fracture type was A2 (n=45), followed by A1 (n=36) and A3 (n=6). The position of the lag screw within the femoral head was measured. The lateral slide of the lag screw after fracture consolidation was measured by comparing the immediate postoperative and final anteroposterior radiographs. RESULTS: 90% of lag screws were placed in an optimal position. The length of lateral slide of the lag screw in stable A1 fractures was significantly less than that in unstable A2 fractures; it was over 10 mm in 7 of 45 patients with A2 fractures. Cut-out of lag screw did not occur, suggesting that free sliding of the lag screw facilitates direct impaction between fragments. CONCLUSION: A PFN is useful for the treatment of trochanteric femoral fractures.     

Megaprostheses for well-fixed TKA femoral fractures

The use of distal femoral replacement (DFR) prosthesis is an option for treating distal femoral periprosthetic fracture (PPF). It is particularly helpful when the distal femoral bone is small and not amenable to rigid fixation. We report the results of 13 distal femoral PPFs at an average age of 77.5 years that were treated by this technique. At a mean follow-up of 30.5 months, the average Knee Society Score and functional score were 82 and 20, respectively. All patients who were ambulatory before fracture, regained their ability to walk after the surgery. There was a revision surgery for treating patellar instability. DFR is a reliable treatment for distal femoral PPFs with poor bone stock that allows for early ambulation in an elderly and low-demand group of patients.     

Aetiology of femoral hernias revisited: bilateral femoral hernia in a young male (two cases)

Bilateral femoral hernias are less common in men than in women and rare in young adults. Only one case of a bilateral femoral hernia in a young man has been reported in the literature before. Three main theories have been postulated for femoral hernias. The theory that they are an acquired disease is the most accepted due to the common occurrence of such hernias in multiparous women but the theory lacks enough evidence. We report two cases in young men. Anatomical variations in the femoral canal could be the primary aetiological factor in these patients. A unilateral femoral hernia in young men with acquired aetiological factors requires a clinical examination of the opposite side.     

A rare anomaly of the femoral vessels: complete transposition of the femoral artery and vein

We report the case of complete transposition of the femoral artery and vein in a 47-year-old woman submitted to high ligation of the left saphenous femoral junction (SFJ) and great saphenous vein (GSV) stripping. During the dissection, we detected that the SFJ and the common, superficial and deep femoral veins were laterally placed to the femoral artery and the GSV crossed the femoral artery bifurcation. Associated variations of the GSV, femoral artery and vein is quite rare and, despite being asymptomatic can lead to technical difficulties increasing the risk of major intraoperative complications. The knowledge of this anomaly seems to be important and its detection is usually intraoperative.     

Hip arthroplasty after biplanar femoral osteotomy

Hip arthroplasty in patients who have had previous biplanar femoral osteotomy (eg, Southwick) is a technical surgical problem. Distorted proximal femoral anatomy may make routine insertion of a femoral prosthesis impossible. The authors report the short-term results in three patients with hip arthroplasty after biplanar femoral osteotomy. The technique consists of a biplanar closing wedge osteotomy at the level of the lesser trochanter to correct the previous surgical deformity. The remaining proximal femur becomes a vascularized bone graft that is skewered by the femoral prosthesis, which also gains purchase in the medullary canal of the proximal femoral shaft. This technique allows restoration of anatomic femoral alignment and the use of standard prostheses with preservation of bone stock. The initial results have been very good. The appearance of the hip is very similar to that in primary hip arthroplasty.     

Noncontiguous fractures of the femoral neck,femoral shaft,and distal femur

BACKGROUND: Multifocal fractures of the femur are uncommon injuries and present unique management challenges. Combined ipsilateral fractures of the femoral shaft and femoral neck or the femoral shaft and distal femur have been described. The combination of noncontiguous ipsilateral femoral neck, femoral shaft, and distal femoral articular injuries, however, has not been described. The purposes of this report are to document the incidence and characteristics of this injury and to present a treatment rationale. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted at a Level I trauma center. RESULTS: Over a 5-year period, 1639 adult patients with femur fractures were definitively managed at the authors' institution. Five male and two female patients (average age, 43.3 years) sustained ipsilateral, noncontiguous fractures of the femoral neck, femoral shaft, and distal femoral articular surface (0.43%). All femoral neck fractures were vertically oriented. All distal femoral injuries were unicondylar. A variety of fixation methods were used, dependent on individual fracture characteristics. The femoral neck fractures were prioritized in all cases. Stabilization of the distal femoral articular surface was then performed before diaphyseal fixation in patients with sagittally oriented condylar fractures. Patients were followed for an average of 19.3 months. All fractures healed without the need for secondary procedures. CONCLUSION: This injury constellation is rare. Open reduction and internal fixation of the displaced femoral neck fracture should be the primary focus of orthopedic management, followed by stable reduction and fixation of displaced distal femoral articular injuries. The diaphyseal fracture should be treated with a technique that does not jeopardize either the proximal or the distal fractures. Patients who are critically ill can be managed in a similar sequence over the course of several days, depending on their overall condition.     

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis associated with hyperparathyroidism

Slippage of the upper femoral epiphysis can occur in association with multiple endocrine imbalances. This report documents the second case of primary parathyroid adenoma with hyperparathyroidism and symptomatic concomitant slipped capital femoral epiphyses. In the evaluation of children with slipped capital femoral epiphysis, care must be taken to eliminate other treatable disease states that are known to be associated with this phenomenon. The capital femoral physes in this child with hyperparathyroidism promptly closed following removal of the parathyroid adenoma.     

Management of subtrochanteric femoral fractures and metastases using long proximal femoral nail

We report our initial experience with a new reconstruction nail, the long proximal femoral nail (L.PFN), in the treatment of subtrochanteric femoral fractures and metastases. We performed 52 L.PFN in 49 patients over a period of 18 months with an average follow-up period of 47.7 weeks. Group I consisted of 24 patients, who had L.PFN for traumatic subtrochanteric femoral fractures. Group II consisted of 25 patients, who had L.PFN for femoral metastases and pathological fractures. (Three bilateral.) In nine patients in group I, the fracture was extending to the intertrochnateric region with involvement of the piriformis fossa. Eight patients in group I had open reduction and cerclage cabling of the fracture prior to L.PFN. All the traumatic fractures in group I had united with an average time to union of 19.4 weeks. In eight operations there were technical difficulties with the insertion of proximal locking screws. Five patients in our series had complications but we had no mechanical failures of the implant. L.PFN is a reliable implant for subtrochanteric femoral fractures and metastases. We also showed that open reduction and cerclage cabling of unstable subtrochanteric fractures prior to nailing was not detrimental to fracture healing in our series.     

Laparoscopic management of acutely incarcerated femoral hernia

Incarcerated femoral hernia is a common surgical emergency condition. Diagnosis is always obvious and straightforward by clinical examination, and open surgical repair is the mainstay of treatment. In the era of minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic repair of femoral hernia has been shown to be feasible and safe. However, laparoscopic repair of acutely incarcerated femoral hernia has gained little discussion in the past. In this paper, we report the results of 8 consecutive cases of strangulated femoral hernia that was successfully managed by the laparoscopic approach.     

Traumatic haemarthrosis causing femoral head subluxation

We report seven children in whom traumatic haemarthrosis of the hip had produced lateral subluxation of the femoral head, which is different from the apparent displacement seen in Perthes' disease. In all seven cases, aspiration of the haemarthrosis allowed reduction of the femoral head, and follow-up for a mean of 14 months revealed no evidence of avascular necrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis. Traumatic haemarthrosis of the hip in children appears to be a clinical entity which can produce femoral head subluxation. Aspiration and traction is the treatment of choice and can cure the condition.     

Calcaneal plate fixation of distal femoral fractures

Open reduction and internal fixation constitute the standard of care for management of displaced distal femoral condylar fractures. The techniques most commonly used include conventional and locked plating with the primary goal of articular surface congruency. However, a specific implant for the isolated medial femoral condyle fracture is lacking. We report the use of a calcaneal plate as a novel technique for managing medial and lateral femoral condylar fractures.     

Tissue sparing total femoral arthroplasty: technical note

It is predicted that the number of revision hip and knee arthroplasties will double by the years 2026 and 2015, respectively. As the burden of end-stage prosthetic disease increases, there will be a greater potential need for total femoral arthroplasty. This report describes a patient with a femoral neck fracture nonunion with an ipsilateral multiply revised failed total knee arthroplasty treated by a tissue sparing total femoral arthroplasty. The technique is described, and potential benefits are reviewed.     

Polyethylene wear from femoral bipolar neck-cup impingement as a cause of femoral prosthetic loosening

A 33-year-old woman underwent an uncemented bipolar hip arthroplasty for osteoarthrosis of the left hip in 1985. Because of painful aseptic loosening, the bipolar implant was revised to a total hip prothesis in 1994. Membranous tissues around the implant histologically presented foreign-body reaction against polyethylene debris. The retrieved implant showed polyethylene wear of the rim of the bipolar cup. Three-dimensional measurement of the surface configuration of the polyethylene of the cup indicated that wear debris had been generated almost exclusively from femoral bipolar neck-cup impingement. Volumetric wear in the articulating dome portion of the polyethylene was negligible. This report clearly illustrates how impingement of a bipolar cup on the femoral neck can be a major source of polyethylene wear debris which induces femoral osteolysis and subsequent stem loosening. Received: 9 February 1996