Prosthetic femoral stem fracture with intact femur

Description: Fracture of the femoral stem is a rare mode of failure for total hip arthroplasty. A 1995 survey study 7 reported 172 stem fractures out of 64,483 cases (including both cemented and cement less prostheses), for an incidence of 0.27%. However with increasing number of hip replacements done these days, this complication should be considered in these patients presenting with proximal thigh pain. To our knowledge, literature does not contain any report of a missed fracture of a femoral component in patient presenting with proximal thigh pain after total hip replacement.
The purpose of the present study is to highlight the possibility of this condition in patients with total hip replacement, thus stressing the need of early detection of this condition and hence decreasing patient suffering and prevention of occurrence of adverse changes in the proximal femur thus giving a better outcome.