Management of Femoral Periprosthetic Fractures: An Institutional Experience at a District General Hospital

Introduction A total hip replacement is a common procedure performed by trauma and orthopaedic surgeons. Successful outcomes in arthroplasty surgery have significantly contributed to more hip replacement procedures being performed annually. This has also increased the incidence of femoral periprosthetic fractures, leading to more revision hip replacement procedures being performed. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study carried out at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom. Theatre records were reviewed from 2018 to 2022 to identify patients with a femoral periprosthetic fracture. Following the data collection, the patients were split into two groups. The first group analysed the patient outcomes through the type of surgical intervention they had, and the second group analysed the patients according to the timing of surgical intervention. Results There were 88 patients included in the study, out of which 49 had revision surgery and 39 had fixation for the femoral periprosthetic fracture. No statistically significant difference was observed in 30-day mortality and one-year mortality for the patients having revision or fixation surgery. Similarly, the results were not found to be significant in 30-day mortality and one-year mortality for the patients having surgery within 36 hours or after 36 hours of diagnosis. Conclusion Overall, the findings of this study are in keeping with the literature. Input from the specialist arthroplasty team is often required for the management of femoral periprosthetic fractures. There is no significant impact on mortality with a delay in surgical intervention for femoral periprosthetic fractures, unlike hip fractures. Medical optimisation and careful planning lead to better patient outcomes for this group of patients.