Ipsilateral diaphyseal femur fracture after resection arthroplasty.

Abstract

Resection arthroplasty of the hip is most commonly used for recalcitrant infections in the setting of prior hemiarthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty. Reported complications of this procedure include shortening of the extremity and ambulation difficulties requiring assistive devices. We report a case of an unusual finding of an ipsilateral femoral shaft fracture after a ground level fall 4 months after a resection arthroplasty for a septic hip. A closed reduction with internal fixation using an intramedullary nail was performed, and 3 months postoperatively, the patient was ambulating with device assistance.