Iliacus hematoma and subsequent femoral nerve palsy after penetration of the medical acetabular wall during total hip arthroplasty. Report of a case

Intrapelvic perforation of the medial acetabular wall during total hip arthroplasty is not uncommon but has been associated only rarely with adverse effects. A postoperative iliacus hematoma with secondary femoral nerve palsy occurred in a 61-year-old woman. The patient had been on Coumadin prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis, but bleeding times were never excessively prolonged. Diagnosis was made by computerized tomographic (CT) scan. Conservative therapy produced resolution of the nerve deficit within eight months. Careful attention to the placement of anchoring drill holes in the acetabulum could have prevented this complication. Iliacus hematoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a femoral nerve palsy in the postoperative total hip patient, particularly if anticoagulation is employed.     

Femoral nerve palsy as a complication of anterior iliac crest bone harvest: Report of two cases and review of the literature

There are many documented neurological complications of anterior iliac crest bone harvest. Until now, these have included injuries to the iliohypogastric, subcostal and lateral femoral cutaneous nerves. Femoral nerve palsy as a direct surgical complication of anterior iliac crest bone harvest has never been cited in any surgical literature, although it has been reported in deep pelvic and abdominal surgeries in which improper retraction and/or prolonged hyperextension of the hip may have caused a nerve compression syndrome. In addition, surgical patients on antithrombolytic therapy have experienced hemorrhage within the iliacus and iliopsoas muscles, resulting in hematoma and secondary femoral nerve compression. The classic motor and sensory deficits reported in femoral nerve palsies are reduced or absent patellar reflex, weak hip flexion, quadriceps muscle weakness, and anesthesia of the anterior thigh and medial aspect of the leg. Two cases of femoral nerve palsy with different etiologies are presented.     

Iliacus hematoma and femoral nerve palsy after revision hip arthroplasty: a case report

Femoral nerve palsy occurred in a 65-year-old man after he had undergone a revision total hip arthroplasty using cementless components. The magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a mass in the iliacus muscle. The mass showed increased signal intensity on T1-weighted and T2-weighted spin-echo images and contained linear septa and a nodule. The gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted image showed a rim of significant enhancement in the nodule. The findings of magnetic resonance images were suggestive of iliacus hematoma and of liposarcoma. The patient underwent surgery, and the mass was identified as an iliacus hematoma. The femoral nerve was stretched by the hematoma. After removal of the hematoma, the nerve palsy was improved completely. Iliacus hematoma may occur after total hip arthroplasty, even without anticoagulant therapy. The hematoma might appear to be a liposarcoma on magnetic resonance imaging scans.     

Femoral nerve palsy due to iliacus hematoma occurred after primary total hip arthroplasty

The perforation of the medial acetabular wall during total hip arthroplasty due to drilling is not uncommon. But, it has rarely been associated with serious adverse events. Here, we present a case report describing an iliacus hematoma with subsequent femoral nerve palsy after primary total hip arthroplasty in a 67-year-old woman who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty due to painful hip osteoarthritis. The diagnosis was made by pelvic magnetic resonance imaging. Conservative treatment was employed and the symptoms were resolved within 3 months. It should be borne in mind that femoral nerve palsy may occur after total hip arthroplasty. It may be due to a treatable cause, such as iliacus hematoma. So, pelvic MRI is recommended in such a condition, rather than just observation.     

Double-chevron subtrochanteric shortening derotational femoral osteotomy combined with total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of complete congenital dislocation of the hip in the adult: Preliminary report and description of a new surgical technique

Total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of complete congenital dislocation of the hip in the adult has been associated with high rates of complications, including acetabular component loosening, femoral or sciatic nerve palsy, and prosthetic dislocation. Placement of the acetabular component in the true acetabulum has yielded the most durable results, but leads to significant limb lengthening, which is associated with sciatic and femoral nerve palsy. Femoral shortening with a transverse osteotomy tends to be torsionally unstable. Increased femoral anteversion complicates femoral component placement and, if not corrected, can lead to postoperative anterior instability and component dislocation. A new surgical technique that combines total hip arthroplasty with a femoral subtrochanteric shortening derotational double-chevron osteotomy in complete congenital hip dislocation using standard components is described. This procedure has been successfully performed in seven hips.     

Late sciatic nerve palsy caused by hematoma after primary total hip arthroplasty

A case of late sciatic nerve palsy caused by subfascial hematoma after uncemented right total hip arthroplasty is reported. The patient developed respiratory distress 13 days postoperatively and was admitted to another institution, where she was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and was subsequently therapeutically anticoagulated with heparin. The patient complained of right-leg numbness and tingling 18 days' postoperatively, which progressed to complete sciatic nerve palsy over several hours.     

The anatomical basis for femoral nerve palsy following iliacus hematoma

With increased use of anticoagulant agents, femoral neuropathy subsequent to hemorrhage within the iliacus muscle has become a frequent clinical problem. The mechanism for this type of femoral nerve palsy was studied in dissections of the iliac region and by injections of latex into fascial planes in that area. In most dissections, up to four fascial layers, parallel to the iliacus sheath, could be identified. Variable states of fusion of these layers often produced up to three pouches, separated by loose connective tissue or fat. These fasciae (called "lamina peritonealis," "lamina transversalis," "lamina preiliaca," and "lamina iliaca") appear to be variable adult remnants of distinct fascial layers present in the posterior abdominal wall during embryological development, and serve to strengthen the intrinsic fascia of the iliacus muscle. Latex injected into the iliacus sheath spread from the midlumbar region to the femoral triangle, surrounding, compressing, and stretching the femoral nerve in different parts of its course. These observations suggest an anatomical basis for femoral nerve palsy during iliacus hematoma.     

Motor nerve palsy following primary total hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: Nerve palsy is a potentially devastating complication following total hip arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively identify risk factors for, and the prognosis associated with, a motor nerve palsy following primary total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: Between 1970 and 2000, 27,004 primary total hip arthroplasties were performed at our institution. Forty-seven patients (0.17%) with postoperative motor nerve dysfunction were identified by a review of the complications log of a total joint database. The medical record of each patient provided the data for this study. The average age of the patients was fifty-seven years at the time of surgery. The patients had serial clinical examinations for a minimum of two years, or until neurologic recovery or death. The nerve palsies were classified as complete or incomplete, and only patients with objective motor weakness were included in the study. The limb lengths were measured on preoperative and postoperative radiographs, and those data were then compared with the limb lengths in a matched cohort of patients who had not sustained a nerve injury after a primary total hip arthroplasty. The extent of neurologic recovery, the need for braces or walking aids, and the use of medications for neurogenic pain were evaluated. RESULTS: There were twenty-nine complete motor nerve palsies (sixteen peroneal, eleven sciatic, and two femoral) and eighteen incomplete motor nerve palsies (fourteen peroneal, three sciatic, and one femoral). A preoperative diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip (p = 0.0004) or posttraumatic arthritis (p = 0.01), the use of a posterior approach (p = 0.032), lengthening of the extremity (p < 0.01), and cementless femoral fixation (p = 0.03) were associated with a significantly increased odds ratio for the development of a postoperative motor nerve palsy. Of the twenty-eight patients with a complete palsy who were available for follow-up, only ten (36%) had complete recovery of motor strength, which took an average of 21.1 months. Seven of the eighteen patients with an incomplete palsy fully recovered their preoperative strength. Twenty-one patients required walking aids, and fifteen required permanent use of an ankle-foot orthosis. Five patients required daily medication for chronic neurogenic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Motor nerve palsy is uncommon following primary total hip arthroplasty. A preoperative diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip or posttraumatic arthritis, the use of a posterior approach, lengthening of the extremity, and use of an uncemented femoral implant increased the odds ratio of sustaining a motor nerve palsy. The majority of the motor nerve deficits in our series, whether complete or incomplete, did not fully resolve.     

Iatrogenic Sciatic Nerve Palsy Following Hemiarthroplasty of the Hip

Abstract We report a rare complication following insertion of an uncemented hip prosthesis that resulted in posterior perforation of the femoral stem and a sciatic nerve palsy. To our knowledge, sciatic nerve palsy due to the femoral stem perforating the cortex has not been previously described.     

Acute effects of hip and knee positions on motor-evoked potentials of the sciatic nerve in total hip arthroplasty

In 23 patients, motor-evoked potentials (MEP) of the sciatic nerve were elicited during total hip arthroplasty by using a stimulating electrode at the level of the acetabulum and recording from the middle portion of the tibialis anterior. The distal motor latencies were determined before dislocation (control), during dislocation, and after reduction with the trial prosthesis. While the hip was dislocated, recording was performed at varying angles of the hip and knee joints. During dislocation, the distal motor latencies were significantly increased in all positions except at hip flexion of 60 degrees and internal rotation of 60 degrees with the knee joint in maximum flexion. No significant correlations were found between the latency increase and limb lengthening. No patient had sciatic nerve palsy or causalgia after operation.     

Femoral nerve palsy secondary to traumatic pseudoaneurysm and iliacus hematoma

The authors report a case of traumatic femoral nerve palsy caused by a pseudoaneurysm of the iliolumbar artery and a iliacus muscle hematoma. This case report details not only the classic history and physical findings seen in patients such as this one, but also illustrates an unusual source of the hematoma and a discussion of its treatment. A 20-year-old man was assaulted and presented to the authors's institution with a 1-week history of severe pain in the left anterior thigh and groin, weakness in the left quadriceps muscle, and numbness in the anterior thigh and medial distal leg. Imaging studies demonstrated a large, 9.4 x 6.4 x 5.2-cm iliacus hematoma as well as a pseudoaneurysm originating from the left iliolumbar artery. The patient underwent angiographic embolization of the pseudoaneurysm followed by surgical evacuation of the hematoma. The embolization was performed before surgery to prevent any possible rebleeding from the pseudoaneurysm during evacuation of the hematoma. Femoral nerve palsy caused by traumatic iliacus hematoma is an infrequent diagnosis often missed because of its insidious presentation. In this case, embolization of the iliolumbar artery pseudoaneurysm followed by surgical evacuation of the hematoma resulted in a nearly full recovery of the femoral nerve as of the last follow-up examination.     

Total Hip Arthroplasty Followed by Traction and Delayed Reduction for Crowe IV Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Hip dislocation secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip is a debilitating condition. Total hip arthroplasty has proven successful in improving pain, restoring joint function, and correcting leg length discrepancies in this select population. Various techniques have been developed to address the increased complexity inherent to the reconstruction of the severely dysplastic hip. Despite this, femoral and/or sciatic nerve palsy remains a potential catastrophic complication after surgery, with reported rates up to five times that in the general population. We present three cases using a previously unreported technique for performing primary total hip arthroplasty via an anterior approach for Crowe IV hip dysplasia. The goal of this technique is to minimize the risk of postoperative nerve palsy following reconstruction of the severely dysplastic hip. A brief discussion of our technique and the topic of nerve dysfunction after total hip arthroplasty for developmental dysplasia of the hip follows.     

Traumatic bilateral hip dislocation with bilateral sciatic nerve palsy

Bilateral hip dislocation rarely occurs. In this paper, a case of bilateral hip dislocation associated with bilateral sciatic nerve palsy resulted from a road traffic accident is reported. Both hips were emergently reduced under general anaesthesia. Acetabular reconstruction was done bilaterally due to the unstable hips. The patient subsequently developed heterotopic ossification and avascular necrosis on the left hip and underwent total hip arthroplasty. The sciatic nerve on the right side achieved complete recovery but that on the left side only partly recovered and was augmented by tendon transfer. Such injuries are serious and one should be aware of the complications because they can resurface and so patients should be followed up for a long time. To the best of our knowledge, this kind of injury has not been reported in the English .language literature.     

Sciatic Nerve Injury Associated with Acetabular Fractures

Sciatic nerve injuries associated with acetabular fractures may be a result of the initial trauma or injury at the time of surgical reconstruction. Patients may present with a broad range of symptoms ranging from radiculopathy to foot drop. There are several posttraumatic, perioperative, and postoperative causes for sciatic nerve palsy including fracture–dislocation of the hip joint, excessive tension or inappropriate placement of retractors, instrument- or implant-related complications, heterotopic ossification, hematoma, and scarring. Natural history studies suggest that nerve recovery depends on several factors. Prevention requires attention to intraoperative limb positioning, retractor placement, and instrumentation. Somatosensory evoked potentials and spontaneous electromyography may help minimize iatrogenic nerve injury. Heterotopic ossification prophylaxis can help reduce delayed sciatic nerve entrapment. Reports on sciatic nerve decompression are not uniformly consistent but appear to have better outcomes for sensory than motor neuropathy.     

Successful open reduction of a 5-month-old hip dislocation associated with a femoral head fracture

The long-term prognosis after open reduction of neglected posterior hip dislocations is poor; as such, primary arthroplasty is recommended by a number of authors. We present a patient with a 5-month-old posterior hip dislocation with concomitant paralysis of the sciatic nerve who had an open reduction. At a follow-up of 3.5 years, the patient has normal function with no signs of arthrosis. Magnetic resonance imaging scans, however, revealed partial avascular necrosis of the femoral head. A discussion based on the literature shows the uniqueness of this case.     

Mechanism of femoral nerve palsy complicating percutaneous ilioinguinal field block

Femoral nerve palsy has been reported after percutaneous ilioinguinal field infiltration with general anaesthesia for inguinal herniorrhaphy. The mechanism whereby this could occur was studied in cadaver dissections. It was found that the plane between the transversus abdominis muscle and the transversalis fascia was continuous laterally with the tissue plane deep to the iliacus fascia, which is the plane containing the femoral nerve. Injection of methylene blue 1 ml into this plane resulted in pooling of dye around the femoral nerve. Femoral nerve palsy may result from infiltration of a sufficient volume of local anaesthetic into the plane between the transversus abdominis muscle and the transversalis fascia with tracking of the injectate deep to the iliacus fascia to affect the femoral nerve. This finding has important implications for the performance of a percutaneous ilioinguinal field block particularly in day surgery provision.      

Ipsilateral hip and knee dislocation: Case report and review of literature

Hip and knee dislocations are not uncommon but simultaneous ipsilateral dislocation of the hip and knee joint is rare; consequently, there is an inadequate amount of literature on the subject. We identified only 11 such cases reported in English literature. In the present report, we describe the case of a 23-year-old male patient who presented with ipsilateral hip and knee dislocation on the right side after being involved in a road traffic accident. The hip dislocation was associated with a posterior wall acetabular fracture. The hip as well as the knee joints was reduced in the emergency bay. The patient underwent an urgent fixation of the posterior wall acetabular fracture with delayed ligament reconstruction for the knee dislocation. At one-year follow-up, he had no pain in the hip or knee. There was grade 1 posterior sag but no symptoms of knee instability. Radiographs revealed no evidence of avascular necrosis or arthritis of the femoral head. The normal treatment protocol for individual injury is affected by the simultaneous occurrence of hip and knee dislocation.     

髋关节骨折--后脱位合并坐骨神经损伤的创伤机制及漏诊分析

目的探讨髋关节骨折-后脱位合并坐骨神经损伤的创伤机制及漏诊原因.方法统计分析1986年1月～1997年6月髋关节骨折-后脱位并坐骨神经损伤36例临床资料.结果此类损伤发病率占同期收治髋关节后脱位的69.3%,明显高于以往的报道,且首诊漏诊率高达58.2%,其中15例病人疗效不满意.结论特定环境下屈髋、屈膝位时,经股骨轴向的暴力打击是髋关节骨折-后脱位合并坐骨神经损伤的主要创伤机制,细致的临床检查,特别是CT扫描是早期确诊、提高疗效的关键.     

Sciatic nerve palsy after total hip arthroplasty in a patient receiving continuous lumbar plexus block

We report a case of late-onset postoperative sciatic palsy after total hip arthroplasty in a 30-yr-old man with congenital hip dysplasia. The patient was receiving continuous lumbar plexus blockade and had received low-molecular-weight heparin 3 h before the onset of symptoms. Anatomic distinction between the nerve block and the sciatic palsy facilitated rapid diagnosis and treatment of a periarticular hematoma, with resulting neurologic recovery. This case illustrates that, with the expanded role of regional anesthetic techniques in acute pain management, the finding of a new postoperative deficit must be jointly investigated by both anesthesiologists and surgeons. Timely and open communication between services is critical because rapid intervention may be essential to achieving full recovery of an affected nerve. IMPLICATIONS: A case is presented of sciatic palsy developing after total hip arthroplasty in a patient receiving a continuous lumbar plexus block. The case highlights various issues in the use of continuous peripheral nerve blocks for postoperative analgesia.