Fatigue fracture of Hip Implant due to dead bones

This is one of the most unusual case of intertrochanteric hip fracture requiring multiple surgeries to correct failures

A case of complex intertrochanteric hip fracture

 

Surgeon decided to fix it with plate and screws

 

Not only the fracture failed to unite, but the screws broke and plate walked out

 

Surgeon decided to do hip replacement

 

Still the bone failed to heal with crack appearing in the hip replacement implant

 

And the hip implant broke because of lack of bony support, this is known as fatigue fracture of implant

At this stage patient was totally bed ridden with severe pain in her hip joint. She had lost all the hope of walking again

She came to our centre

On analyzing all the previous x-rays, we realized that her femur bone had lost all its blood supply due to injury and subsequent surgeries. In view of non viable bone the load came on the femoral implant which subsequently broke down – called fatigue fracture of the implant.

We took up the challenge to revise this complex case.

We decided to remove all the non living bone and supplement with fibula, a bone from the leg of the same side, and do revision hip replacement surgery

The x-ray after revision hip replacement surgery and fibula bone grafting

 

Success at last!!!!!!!