Periprosthetic femoral fracture due to biodegradable cement restrictor

Biodegradable materials are gaining popularity in orthopedics. Despite finding use in different areas of orthopedic surgery, they do not come without disadvantages such as foreign body reactions, granulomatous reactions, and sterile sinus formation in bone. We report a case of a patient who sustained a periprosthetic fracture seen at the tip of a cemented femoral stem approximately 5 years postsurgery, secondary to the use of a biodegradable cement restrictor. There was no evidence of trauma or fall on the affected hip. To our knowledge, there has been no previous report describing periprosthetic fracture at the tip of cemented femoral stem secondary to the use of a biodegradable cement restrictor. We suggest abandoning use of these materials while performing cemented hip arthroplasties.