Failed osteosynthesis of cemented B1 periprosthetic fractures

Periprosthetic fractures about the hip are increasingly common. The literature estimates a failure rate of approximately 10% in Vancouver B1 type fractures which have undergone fixation. There is currently no guidance available on the next step of management for this patient group. This study presents a series of nine Vancouver B1 fractures with failed osteosynthesis and proposes that repeated fixation has poorer results than revision.

A total of nine patients (five women, four men) with a mean age of 71.2 years (52-83) underwent operative treatment for failed osteosynthesis of periprosthetic fractures of Vancouver type B1. Three patients were revised to a long revision stem while six patients had repeated osteosythesis. Failure was defined as the need for further operative intervention.

The three patients revised to a long revision stem at first failure of osteosynthesis required no further surgical intervention. All six patients who had repeat osteoynthesis failed again. Five patients were subsequently successfully treated with revision of the primary stem, three were revised to a long revision stem while two patients required proximal femoral replacement. One patient died prior to revision. The mean follow up following initial B1 fracture was 49.3 months and following definitive operative intervention was 37.7 months. Six patients had died at 1st July 2017.

Failed osteosynthesis of B1 fractures may necessitate revision rather than repeat fixation, regardless of how well fixed the stem appears. Revision to a long stem provided good results in this cohort.