A prospective, modernized treatment protocol for periprosthetic femur fractures

This article reports a prospective series of periprosthetic femur fractures in 33 patients treated with a modernized fracture treatment protocol. Some form of operative treatment was selected prospectively based on the categorization of the fracture by the Duncan-Vancouver and Beals-Tower Oregon classification systems. Fractures in which the prosthesis-bone interface was stable were treated with open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture around the stable implant. Unstable prosthesis-bone interfaces required removal of the primary prosthesis and revision to an uncemented long-stem prosthesis after stabilization of the femoral fracture with plates or allograft struts. Complications were minimal over an average follow-up period of 28.3 months; restoration of function was predictable.