Periprosthetic fractures around cemented hip hemiarthroplasty: Are SOFCOT-Vancouver recommendations mandatory? A comparative study with propensity score matching.

INTRODUCTION

Periprosthetic hip fracture is a serious complication associated with increased mortality and impaired autonomy. When the implant is loosened, the standard treatment involves prosthetic revision. However, recent studies suggest that these cases can be successfully treated with fixation without prosthetic exchange. This strategy seems relevant for elderly and frail patients with fractures around hemiarthroplasties but it has not yet been investigated in France. Therefore we did a retrospective comparative investigation aiming to compare postoperative complications (i.e., death within one month or reintervention) between osteosynthesis and prosthetic revision in elderly patients with Vancouver B fractures around polished tapered stem hemiarthroplasties.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesized that there would be no significant difference between osteosynthesis and prosthetic revision.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a single-university-center, all patients treated between 2005 and 2024 for periprosthetic fractures after cemented hemiarthroplasty were included in a retrospective observational study. A total of 92 patients were included, with an average age of 88.7 years (range, 77-107), mostly institutionalized (58%) and with multiple comorbidities, as indicated by a mean ASA score of 2.75 (range: 2-4) and a mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 6.4 (range: 4-10); the average time between HHA and PPF occurrence was 2.1 years (range: 7-5679 days). The primary outcome was a composite criterion including the occurrence of a complication requiring reintervention or death within one month postoperatively. Group comparability was established using a propensity score.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 665 days, with the longest follow-up reaching 5704 days. No significant difference was observed in the primary outcome between the osteosynthesis group (n = 19/39 patients, (48.71%)) and the revision group (n = 16/39 patients, (41.02%)) (p = 0.637). Osteosynthesis demonstrated significantly shorter operative time (96 min vs. 167 min, p < 0.001), reduced blood loss (428 mL vs. 874 mL, p < 0.001), shorter hospital stays (9.17 days vs. 13.39 days, p < 0.001), and better autonomy preservation (loss of 1.09 Parker score points vs. 1.97 points, p < 0.001) compared to revision surgery. The 1-year mortality rate was 29,3% (27/92). The reintervention rate was 27.2% (25/92). The main causes of reintervention were dislocations, accounting for 13% (12/92) of cases, (occurring in 9.4% (5/53) of patients in the osteosynthesis group and 17.9% (7/39) in the revision group. The second most common reintervention cause was infection, which accounted for 11% (10/92) of cases, (occurring in 7.5% (4/53) of patients in the osteosynthesis group and 15.4% (6/39) in the revision group).

DISCUSSION

This result supports the idea that, for HHA's PPF, the Vancouver-SOFCOT recommendations can be adapted. For all type B fractures, if the fracture can be reduced and the cement mantle is well-fixed to the bone and of good quality, osteosynthesis is also a reliable option.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III; Retrospective comparative study.