Nodular skin metastasis mimicking infection in a revision total hip arthroplasty scar.

Abstract

We present the case of a 60-year-old man who had metastasis of a nodular squamous cell carcinoma from a laryngeal carcinoma that mimicked an infected sinus in a 4-month postoperative revision total hip arthroplasty scar. A diagnosis was made at the time of frozen section. The patient died 3 months after tumor resection as a result of multiorgan failure. Nodular squamous cell carcinoma metastasis in a total hip arthroplasty scar is extremely uncommon. However, this association must be considered in a patient with a known tumor after revision surgery. In such patients, we recommend obtaining an intraoperative frozen section to avoid misdiagnosis in cases of infected sinuses associated with implants.