Extended trochanteric osteotomy via the direct lateral approach in revision hip arthroplasty

A review of the results of the extended trochanteric osteotomy through a modified direct lateral approach in revision total hip arthroplasty was done. We reviewed 44 patients (45 procedures) at a minimum of 2 years followup (mean, 3.8 years; range, 2.1-7.2 years). There were 26 men and 18 women with a mean age at the time of surgery of 70.8 years (range, 36.9-90.4 years). Indications for use of the trochanteric osteotomy included facilitation of cement removal (25 procedures), proximal femoral varus deformity (14 procedures), trochanteric malposition (five procedures), and previous trochanteric osteotomies with significant bony overgrowth (three procedures). The mean length of the osteotomy was 133.9 mm. The mean migration of the osteotomized fragment was 2.1 mm (range, 0-20 mm) with significantly more proximal migration seen with the use of cerclage wires when compared with cables. There were two cases of trochanteric escape, for which the patients required repeat open reduction internal fixation. There were two late fractures of the greater trochanter. One femoral component had early subsidence for which the patient required re-revision with a further extended trochanteric osteotomy. The mean time to union of the remaining 40 hips was 10.3 months (range, 6-24 months). There only was one dislocation postoperatively. The extended trochanteric osteotomy through the modified direct lateral approach in revision total hip arthroplasty is a reproducible and reliable technique with a lower dislocation rate but a higher incidence of trochanteric fracture and escape than previously described with its use in the posterior approach.