Short stem option for total hip arthroplasty with retained hardware

The presence of retained femoral hardware, usually as a consequence of prior orthopedic trauma, has been classically presented as something that must be removed prior to total hip arthroplasty. However, hardware removal is not without risks, including pain, creation of stress risers, and refracture. The authors report a patient with a retained retrograde femoral nail who underwent total hip arthroplasty with a short, neck-preserving femoral stem used to avoid the need for hardware removal. Clinical results at short-term follow-up have been excellent. In the setting of retained hardware, the use of short stems may be a viable treatment option for a well-selected subgroup of patients who require total hip arthroplasty and when the surgeon cannot use standard implants.