Fracture of the C-Stem cemented femoral component in revision hip surgery using bone impaction grafting technique: report of 9 cases

A Systematic Review Comparing the Outcomes of Cemented Versus Uncemented Stems in Femoral Impaction Bone Grafting for Revision Hip Arthroplasty

Femoral impaction bone grafting is a crucial technique in revision hip arthroplasty, addressing bone loss and ensuring implant stability. The choice between cemented and uncemented stems significantly influences the outcomes and long-term success of the procedure. This systematic review aims to compare the clinical outcomes of cemented versus uncemented stems in femoral impaction bone grafting. A comprehensive search of PubMed, MEDLINE Complete, and the Cochrane Library databases was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies evaluating the outcomes of femoral impaction bone grafting with cemented or uncemented stems were included. The primary outcome measured was the rate of loosening of the femoral component, while secondary outcomes included the incidence of complications such as dislocation, infection, fractures, overall patient mortality, and cardiopulmonary diseases. The literature search yielded 78 articles, with 36 meeting the inclusion criteria. These included one randomized controlled trial, 16 cohort studies (10 retrospective and six prospective), and 15 case series. Most surgeries were revision procedures, with aseptic loosening being the most common indication. For the cemented technique, 1,588 hips were analyzed, with 8.00% experiencing aseptic loosening, 3.53% dislocation, 3.87% infection, 37.33% mortality, 7.57% fractures, and 1.13% cardiopulmonary complications. For the uncemented technique, 464 hips were analyzed, with 1.72% aseptic loosening, 4.74% dislocation, 1.5% infection, 38.47% mortality, 7.76% fractures, and 0.65% cardiopulmonary complications. This systematic review highlights that both cemented and uncemented techniques for femoral impaction bone grafting offer unique benefits and challenges, with the choice depending on patient-specific factors. The uncemented technique, with a lower risk of femoral component loosening, may be better suited for younger, active patients with good bone quality, despite a slightly higher risk of fractures and dislocations. In contrast, the cemented technique, offering immediate stability, is more appropriate for elderly patients with compromised bone quality but carries a higher risk of loosening and cardiopulmonary complications. The decision should be tailored to the patient's clinical profile, including age, bone quality, comorbidities, and the surgeon's expertise.

Successful hip revision surgery following refracture of a modern femoral stem using a cortical window osteotomy technique: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

The ExeterTM Universal cemented femoral component is widely used for total hip replacement surgery. Although there have been few reports of femoral component fracture, removal of a broken femoral stem can be a challenging procedure.

CASE SUMMARY

A 54-year-old man with a Dorr A femur sustained a refracture of a primary ExeterTM stem, two years after receiving a revision using a cement-within-cement technique (CWC) through an extended trochanteric osteotomy (ETO). The technical problems related to the CWC technique and the ETO played a major role in the stem fatigue refracture. We performed revision surgery and removed the distal cement using a cortical femoral window technique, followed by re-implantation with an uncemented, modular, distally-fixed uncemented stem. The patient experienced an uneventful postoperative recovery.

CONCLUSION

Re-fracture of a modern femoral ExeterTM stem is a rare event, but technical complications related to revision surgery can lead to this outcome. The cortical window osteotomy technique can facilitate the removal of a broken stem and cement, allowing for prosthetic re-implantation under direct vision and avoiding ETO-related complications.

Fracture of a triple-polished tapered cemented femoral stem at the Morse taper after metal-on-metal primary total hip arthroplasty

Total hip arthroplasty, one of the most successful orthopaedic procedures, is influenced by several variables. Corrosion at the modular junction is known as trunnionosis. Despite being reported infrequently, corrosion between the femoral head and the Morse taper can result in severe complications. Fracture of the femoral component in primary metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasty at the Morse taper is an extremely rare event and can be associated with several risk factors. We report a case of corrosion at the Morse taper in a hybrid primary MoM total hip arthroplasty, resulting in Morse taper fracture with consequent femoral head entrapment inside the acetabular component. We hypothesise that some risk factors, such as age over 60years, active male patients, body mass index above 30kg/m², large femoral heads, high-offset stems, 9/10 Morse taper and MoM-bearing surfaces, are associated with this mode of failure.

Long Term Performance of an Uncemented, Proximally Hydroxyapatite Coated, Double Tapered, Titanium-Alloy Femoral Stem: Results From 1465 Hips at 10 years Minimum Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

We assessed the survivorship of a proximally hydroxyapatite coated, double tapered, titanium-alloy femoral stem in a single center, at an average follow up of 12.5 years (10.1-15.8). The majority of stems were inserted as part of a Metal on Metal (MoM) Total Hip Replacement (THR).

METHODS

Data was collected prospectively in a local database. A retrospective review was performed of all patients undergoing a primary THR with the prosthesis between 2003 and 2010. Primary outcome was revision of the stem for any cause. Analysis was also performed for stem revision for aseptic loosening, stem revision in the MoM setting and a worst case scenario whereby lost to follow up were presumed to have failed. True stem failure was considered if revision occurred for a stem related complication.

RESULTS

1465 stems were included (1310 patients, 155 bilateral). The bearing surface was cobalt chrome on cobalt chrome in 1351 cases (92%). Seven hips were lost to follow up. Thirty-two stems (31 part of a MoM THR) underwent revision for any cause. Kaplan Meier survival analysis demonstrates an overall 97.4% survivorship. Subset analysis demonstrates 100% survivorship for aseptic loosening, 97.3% in the MoM setting and 96.7% for the worst case senario. Of the 32 cases of stem revision, only 13 were classified as 'true' stem failure.

CONCLUSION

This study represents the largest cohort of this uncemented femoral component with a minimum follow-up longer than 10 years. Our results demonstrate excellent long-term survivorship even in the presence of a challenging MoM environment.

Femoral stem fractures after primary and revision hip replacements: A single-center experience

Objectives

This study aims to present our experience in the management of fractured femoral stems after primary and revision hip replacements by evaluating the clinical and radiographic characteristics and determining the effectiveness of the extraction methods.

Patients and methods

A total of 15 patients (5 males, 10 females; mean age 65.9 years; range, 49 to 87 years) who underwent revision hip replacement due to a fractured femoral stem between January 2005 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective study. The mechanisms and risk factors for failure as well as methods applied to extract fractured stem were analyzed through clinical and radiographic data.

Results

Nine patients had fractured cemented femoral stems, while six patients had fractured fully porous coated cementless revision stems. Lack of proximal buttress in distally fixed femoral stems was detected in 11 patients and identified as the predominant mechanism resulting in fracture. The proximal extraction method with conventional revision instrumentation, the cortical window technique, and extended trochanteric osteotomy (ETO) were used in three, seven, and five cases, respectively.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that the lack of proximal buttress is the most common reason for femoral stem fracture. Moreover, the proximal extraction method was mostly ineffective in fully porous femoral stems. A step-by-step approach should be considered for the extraction of a broken stem. The cortical window method can be considered as the second step if proximal extraction methods fail, and ETO should be considered at the last step if all techniques fail.

Fractured Femoral Stems in Primary and Revision Hip Arthroplasties Revisited: Wrightington Experience

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to present our experience in managing fractured femoral stems over the last 10 years for both primary and revision stems at our tertiary unit focusing on modes of failure and operative techniques.

METHODS

This is a retrospective consecutive study of all patients with fractured femoral stems that were operatively managed in our unit between 2008 and 2018. Detailed radiographic evaluation (Paprosky classification) was undertaken and data collected on operative techniques used to extract distal fractured stem fragments.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients (35 hips) were included (25 men/10 women) with average age at time of presentation of 68 years (range, 29-93). Average body mass index was 30 (standard deviation, 3.8; range, 22.5-39). There were variety of stems both contemporary and historical, primary and revision cases (15 hips polished tapered cemented stems, 10 hips composite beam and miscellaneous stems, and 10 revision hip stems). The predominant mechanism of failure was fatigue due to cantilever bending in distally fixed stems. Surgical techniques used to extract distal fragment were drilling technique in 2 hips, cortical window in 13 hips, extended trochanteric osteotomy (ETO) in 5 hips, and proximal extraction in 15 hips.

CONCLUSION

When faced with a contemporary fractured stem, drilling techniques into the distal fragment are unlikely to succeed. If a trochanteric osteotomy had been used at time of index surgery, this could be used again to aid proximal extraction with conventional revision instrumentations. The cortical window technique is useful but surgically demanding technique that is most successful in extracting polished tapered fractured stems particularly when an ETO is not planned for femoral reconstruction. Use of trephines can be useful for removal of longer, uncemented stems. Finally, an ETO might be necessary when other techniques have failed.

Impaction Bone Grafting or Uncemented Modular Stems for the Treatment of Type B3 Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures? A Complication Rate Analysis

BACKGROUND

Because the gold standard for the treatment of Vancouver type-B3 periprosthetic femoral fractures (PFFs) is yet to be defined, we sought to analyze the complication rate between the impaction bone grafting (IBG) technique with a cemented stem and reconstruction with an uncemented distally-fixed modular stem (DFMS).

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 54 B3 PFFs operated between 2000 and 2016, comparing the complication rate of 33 patients treated with the IBG technique (group A) with 21 patients treated with a DFMS (group B). Median follow-up of groups A and B were 75 months (interquartile range [IQR], 36-111 months) and 55 months (IQR, 32-73 months), respectively (P = .008). Median age of groups A and B were 78 years (IQR, 74-83 years) and 81 years (IQR, 74-86 years), respectively (P = .30). Median grade of Endo-Klink femoral bone defect was 3 (IQR, 3-3) for both groups (P = .11). We performed a multiple regression analysis to determine risk factors for complications including the following variables: age, initial diagnosis, and surgical technique.

RESULTS

As for infection outcomes, 2-stage revision surgery was more frequent in group A than in group B (4 vs 0, P = .003). Group A presented more implant failures than group B (5 vs 1, P = .195). We found 4 dislocations in group B and 2 in group A (P = .192). Multiple regression analysis showed a significant association between surgical technique and complication rate (P = .01). The IBG technique presented an odds risk for complications of 4.77 (P = .016; IQR, 1.33-17.21).

CONCLUSION

Femoral reconstruction with the IBG technique evidenced an ostensibly higher complication rate than that of DFMS for the treatment of B3 PFF.

A Single-Center Experience With a Titanium Modular Neck Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Added modular junction has been associated with implant-related failures. We report our experience with a titanium-titanium modular neck-stem interface to assess complications, possible clinical factors influencing use of neck modularity, and whether modularity reduced the incidence of dislocation.

METHODS

A total of 809 total hip arthroplasties completed between 2005 and 2012 from a prospectively collected database were reviewed. The mean follow-up interval was 5.7 years (3.3-10.3 years). Forty-five percent were male (360 of 809), and 55% were female (449 of 809). All stems were uncemented PROFEMUR TL (titanium, flat-tapered, wedge) or PROFEMUR Z (titanium, rectangular, dual-tapered) with a titanium neck.

RESULTS

Increased modularity (anteverted/retroverted and anteverted/retroverted varus/valgus (anteverted/retroverted + anteverted/retroverted varus/valgus) was used in 39.4% (135 of 343) of cases using the posterior approach compared with 6.8% (20 of 293) of anterior and 23.7% (41 of 173) of lateral approaches. Four males sustained neck fractures at a mean of 95.5 months (69.3-115.6 months) after primary surgery. Overall dislocation rate was 1.1% (9 of 809). The posterior approach had both the highest utilization of increased modularity and the highest dislocation rate (2.3%), of which the most were recurrent. The anterior (0.3%) and lateral (0%) approaches had lower dislocation rates with no recurrences.

CONCLUSION

At a mean 5.7 years, our experience demonstrates a low neck fracture (0.5%) and a low dislocation rate (1.1%). Use of increased modularity may not improve dislocation risk for the posterior approach. Continued surveillance of this group will be necessary to determine long term survivorship of this modular titanium implant.