Treatment of periprosthetic femoral fracture after cementless total hip arthroplasty with Ilizarov external fixation.

Abstract

A 72-year-old woman with periprosthetic femoral fracture after cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) underwent external fixation using the Ilizarov method. Although open reduction and internal fixation with a condylar plate system were initially attempted, deep infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at the fracture site occurred 2 weeks postoperatively. Six weeks after removal of the plating system, the fracture was stabilized with external fixation using the Ilizarov method and went on to successful fusion at 3 months. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which Ilizarov external fixation has been used for periprosthetic femoral fracture after THA. Although this is a rare situation, where periprosthetic fracture and infection coexist, Ilizarov external fixation is a safe and reliable method for periprosthetic femoral fracture with infection.