Displacement of a cemented femoral stem during attempted closed reduction of a dislocated total hip arthroplasty.

Abstract

Displacement of a cemented femoral stem during attempted closed reduction of a dislocated total hip arthroplasty has been anecdotally described in the literature. All these reports involved use of cemented, highly polished, tapered stems. We report, the first to our knowledge, a case of displacement of a cemented, textured femoral stem, during attempted closed reduction. The case is being reported not only for its rarity but also to alert treating surgeons of this devastating complication which can expose the patient to the risks of open surgery. Gentle reduction, using the gravity method of Stimpson, under fluoroscopy control, may be safer and prevent this complication from occurring. If the cement mantle is intact, cement-within-cement is a reliable, quick, and simple technique to overcome this difficult problem.