Successful intraoperative retrieval of dislocated femoral trial head during total hip arthroplasty

Since the advent of modular hip prostheses in the early 1970s, dissociation of the femoral trial head and migration into the deep tissue space of the pelvis are rarely reported complications of total hip arthroplasty. Several case reports have described this complication, but the actual incidence is unknown and likely underreported. Two cases are presented here using a new technique to retrieve a trial femoral head from within the pelvis without use of an extensile approach, laparoscopic retrieval, or secondary incisions.