Modern proximally tapered uncemented stems can be safely used in Dorr type C femoral bone.

Abstract

Cementless femoral fixation has become widely accepted in modern total hip arthroplasty. Treating patients who have a stovepipe-shaped femur (Dorr type C) with cementless implants has traditionally been challenging. We treated 53 consecutive patients (60 hips) who had type C bone with identical tapered, proximally coated implants and postoperative weight bearing as tolerated. At 6 weeks, all 60 hips had radiographically documented bony integration, and at 1 year, there was no evidence of fracture, subsidence, thigh pain, stress shielding, loose stems, or risk of failure. Of those patients, 40 (43 hips) had midterm follow-up (average, 6 years; range, 4-9 years); the findings were the same. We conclude that modern proximally tapered stems can be used with early weight bearing in patients with type C bone.