Implant Fracture after Long-Stemmed Cemented Hemiarthroplasty for Oncologic Indications.

Although a long-stemmed cemented hemiarthroplasty is frequently recommended for oncologic lesions of proximal femur, we have observed an alarming number of spontaneous stem fractures. The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the associated risk factors for stem fractures in a study cohort of 60 (61 prostheses) during 1983-2007. At a mean follow-up of 41 months, 4/61 (6.

Capacitive coupling reduces instrumentation-related infection in rabbit spines: a pilot study.

Background: Postoperative spine infections cause considerable morbidity. Patients are subjected to long-term antibiotic regimens and may require further surgery. Delivery of electric current through instrumentation can detach biofilm, allowing better antibiotic penetration and assisting in eradicating infection.

Aseptic loosening rates in distal femoral endoprostheses: does stem size matter?

Background: Long-term survival of distal femoral endoprosthetic replacements is largely affected by aseptic loosening. It is unclear whether and to what degree surgical technique and component selection influence the risk of loosening.

Questions/purposes: We (1) established the overall failure and aseptic loosening rates in a tumor population and asked (2) whether stem diameter and specifically the diaphysis-to-stem ratio predicts loosening, and (3) whether resection percentage correlates with failure.

Late complications and survival of endoprosthetic reconstruction after resection of bone tumors.

Background: While complications following massive endoprosthetic reconstruction have been previously described, the incidence and effects of these complications over extended periods of time have not been well characterized in large series.

Questions/purposes: We therefore determined: (1) incidence and types of complications; (2) relative risk of complications; (3) likelihood of secondary complications; (4) whether modularity altered such complications; (5) implant failure and limb salvage rates and (6) implant survival over extended followup.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 232 patients (241 implants: 50 custom,191 modular) who underwent endoprosthetic reconstruction for malignant and aggressive bone tumors between 1980 and 2002.