Nonsurgical Management of Distal Femur Stem Cortical Perforation

Abstract

Distal femur stem cortical perforation is a rare but potentially catastrophic complication during total hip arthroplasty. If unrecognized, it can lead to transverse fracture of the femur while the patient is ambulating. If an uncemented femur stem was used, previous literature unanimously agrees that revision surgery should be performed. We report a case of uncemented distal femur stem cortical perforation that was treated nonsurgically successfully with protected weight-bearing for 6 weeks. Our patient had previous osteotomy surgeries of the proximal femur with a residual deformity which increased her risk for distal femur stem cortical perforation. At 40-month follow-up, she was asymptomatic, ambulated with normal gait, and was able to perform deep squats. The discussion involves avoiding, recognizing, and managing distal femur stem cortical perforation.

Keywords

• total hip arthroplasty
• Distal femur stem cortical perforation
• Uncemented femur stem
• Complication