Cemented total hip replacement (THR) provides excellent outcomes and is cost-effective. Polished taper-slip (PTS) stems demonstrate successful results and have overtaken traditional composite-beam (CB) stems. Recent reports indicate they are associated with a higher risk of postoperative periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) compared to CB stems. This study evaluates risk factors influencing fracture characteristics around PTS and CB cemented stems.

Data were collected for 584 PFF patients admitted to eight UK centres from 25/05/2006-01/03/2020. Radiographs were assessed for Unified Classification System (UCS) grade and Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) type. Statistical comparisons investigated relationships by age, gender, and stem fixation philosophy (PTS versus CB). The effect of multiple variables was estimated using multinomial logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Median (IQR) age was 79.1 (72.0–86.0) years, 312 (53.6%) patients were female, and 495 (85.1%) stems were PTS. The commonest UCS grade was type B1 (278, 47.6%). The commonest AO/OTA type was spiral (352, 60.3%). Metaphyseal-split fractures occurred only with PTS stems with an incidence of 10.1%. Male gender was associated with a five-fold reduction in odds of a type C fracture (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.41, p<0.001) compared to a type B fracture. CB stems were associated with significantly increased odds of transverse fracture (OR 9.51, 95% CI 3.72 to 24.34, p <0.001) and wedge fracture (OR 3.72, 95% CI 1.16 to 11.95, p <0.05) compared to PTS stems.

This is the largest study investigating PFF characteristics around cemented stems. The commonest fracture types are B1 and spiral fractures. PTS stems are exclusively associated with metaphyseal-split fractures, but their incidence is low. Males have lower odds of UCS grade C fractures compared to females. CB stems had higher odds of bending type fractures (transverse and wedge) compared to PTS stems. Biomechanical testing is needed for validation and investigation of modifiable factors which may reduce the risk of unstable fracture patterns requiring complex revision surgery over internal fixation.

Aims

This study evaluates risk factors influencing fracture characteristics for postoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures (PFFs) around cemented stems in total hip arthroplasty.