Extended femoral osteotomy for revision of hip arthroplasty: results and complications

Seventy-five revision total hip arthroplasties (73 patients) performed using an extended greater trochanteric osteotomy for exposure and an extensively porous-coated uncemented stem were reviewed after 2 years (range, 1 to 5). The mean osteotomy length was 14 cm (range, 7 to 19 cm) and fixation was with at least 2 cables. One stem was revised at 4 months for stem subsidence and loosening. Of the remaining 74 osteotomies, 73 healed without further procedures. A single nonunion was reoperated at 4 months and healed. Sixty-eight of 73 osteotomies healed with no migration and 5 did with less than 5 mm of proximal migration of the osteotomy fragment. Complications included 3 intraoperative and 1 postoperative osteotomy fragment fractures. Extended trochanteric osteotomy, executed preserving the fragment's vascularity and fixed with rigid fixation, can be performed with a low rate of complications.