Atypical periprosthetic femur fracture on an underestimated atypical femoral pattern. A case report

Gaetano Caruso; Nicola Corradi; Tommaso Amoroso; Ilaria Martini; Vincenzo Lorusso; Leo Massari

doi:10.1016/j.tcr.2021.100407

Atypical periprosthetic femur fracture on an underestimated atypical femoral pattern. A case report

Trauma Case Rep. 2021 Feb 10:32:100407. doi: 10.1016/j.tcr.2021.100407. eCollection 2021 Apr.

Authors

Gaetano Caruso^{1

2}, Nicola Corradi¹, Tommaso Amoroso¹, Ilaria Martini¹, Vincenzo Lorusso¹, Leo Massari^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Orthopedic and Traumatology Unit, Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Via Aldo Moro 8, 44124 Cona, Ferrara, Italy.
² Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.

Abstract

Case: Atypical fracture patterns, especially to the femur midshaft, have begun emerging since long-term bisphosphonate use was introduced. The same fracture pattern could arise around prosthetic hip implant, but the literature reports few cases regarding atypical periprosthetic femur fracture on previous total hip arthroplasty implant in patients on long-term bisphosphonate therapy. To our knowledge we report here the first case of atypical periprosthetic femur fracture arising after total hip arthroplasty implant on a previously identified but underestimated atypical femur pattern.

Conclusion: Surgeons should never underestimate an atypical femur pattern on x-rays and always relate groin and thigh pain to hip pathology before performing total hip arthroplasty.

Keywords: Atypical femur fracture; Atypical periprosthetic femur fracture; Bisphosphonates therapy; Total hip arthroplasty.

Publication types

Case Reports