title: [Periprosthetic femur fractures. Experience at hospital Español de México with a 2-year follow-up].
abstract: Periprosthetic fractures have had an increasing incidence in the past decades; their resolution is a difficult challenge even for the most experienced orthopedist surgeons. The Vancouver classification has contributed to a great extent to their better characterization and therapeutic guidance. The purpose of this paper is to make a review of the most recent advances on the topic and present our experience in the treatment of these fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the characteristics of a sample of 20 patients with periprosthetic femur fractures treated at our hospital from March 2008 to March 2010 and typed according to the Vancouver classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 74.5 years with a range of 65-87 years. Females were predominant (70%). Five cases were type A in the classification, 10 cases type B, and 5 cases type C. Nineteen underwent surgical treatment. The mean total length of stay was 7 days, with a range of 5-12. The mean healing time for types B and C was 4 months (range 3-6 months). Four patients had complications. The resolution was assessed as excellent in 5 cases (25%), good in 11 cases (55%), and poor in 4 cases (20%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A thorough individual assessment based on the Vancouver classification, age and the patient's functional requirements are the major parameters for treatment success.
authors.affiliation: Ortopedia y Traumatología, Hospital Español de México. drsuarezahedo@gmail.com
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Suárez-Ahedo
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Obil-Chavarría
authors.forename: F I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Gil-Orbezo
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Valles-Figueroa
authors.forename: Diaz G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: García-Félix
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antúnez-García
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D057068:Periprosthetic Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors