[Total prosthesis implantation with added pelvic osteosynthesis]

This report documents our limited experience with total hip replacement requiring large bone-graft reconstruction of the acetabulum with internal fixation. Four of the 14 patients were elderly and had a fresh fracture of the acetabulum; 6 had severe loosening of the acetabular companent with non-union, necessitating plate fixation along the pelvic rim in 5 patients. Four patients had large defects after tumor resection. In only 1 of these 14 cases did loosening occur. Our results are promising and we plan to increase the use of pelvic plates in these extremely unstable cases. Following stabilization of the pelvic ring, a metallic reinforcement ring increases stability. These operations were performed via an anterior ilioinguinal approach.