Outcomes of salvage total hip arthroplasty after failed osteosynthesis for collum femoris fractures.

Background: This study is an investigation of the outcomes of salvage total hip arthroplasty (THA) to treat collum femoris fractures that resulted in complications or failure after osteosynthesis.

Methods: Twenty patients (6 male, 14 female; mean age: 56.7 years) who underwent salvage total hip arthroplasty (THA) between 1988 and 2012 due to failure developing after closed reposition and osteosynthesis in the treatment of collum femoris fractures were included in the study. The type of osteosynthesis, and the length of time until failure and before THA application after collum femoris fracture were recorded. Cementless acetabular and femoral components were used in all of the patients. Complications were defined as those occurring during and after surgery. The clinical results were assessed with the Harris Hip Score (HHS) and the presence of loosening was assessed with radiological evaluation in follow-up.

Results: The mean length of the follow-up period was 59.4 months (range: 15-178 months). The collum femoris fractures of the 20 patients were classified as: 5 Garden type II, 13 type III, 2 type IV, and 3 Pauwels type I, 8 type II, and 9 type III. Cannulated screws were used in 13 patients (65%) and dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation was used in 7 patients (35%). Complications observed after osteosynthesis were nonunion in 4 cases (20%), malunion in 2 (10%), avascular necrosis in 10 (50%), and implant failure in 4 (20%). A mean of 9.66 months (range: 3-54 months) elapsed before osteosynthesis failure and the mean length of time until THA was 31.6+-51.7 months. There was no statistically significant difference between cannulated screw and DHS fixation in the development of complications (p=0.084). Early dislocation (5%), periprosthetic fracture (5%) and acetabular protrusion (5%) were recorded as complications. A revision was made upon determination of loosening in the 10th year in the patient who developed early dislocation. While the mean HHS was 54.05+-8.22 before THA, it was evaluated to be 86.45+-8.73 at the last follow-up, which was a statistically significant difference (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: The study findings demonstrated that THA applied with suitable surgical technique is a safe and successful method that may be used after failed osteosynthesis in cases of collum femoris fracture.