title: Conservative treatment of femoral shaft fractures in patients with total hip arthroplasty.
abstract: Over a period of 20 years, 34 patients with a total hip arthroplasty were treated conservatively for a femoral shaft fracture. Thirty-five fractures were treated by traction followed by cast-brace or by cast-brace alone. Sound healing was obtained in 33 fractures. Problems were angular malalignment jeopardizing revision surgery in cases of loosening, long hospitalization, and a considerable complication rate. As a consequence, the authors no longer recommend conservative treatment as the first choice for these difficult fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital, K.U. Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stuyck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabry
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000601:surgery; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies