title: Prevention of longitudinal crack propagation around a femoral prosthesis: a study of cerclage wire fixation.
abstract: This study examined the effect of single versus triple-wrap cerclage fixation techniques in preventing propagation of a longitudinal fracture around a cementless femoral prosthesis. A proximal filling femoral component was implanted in 14 matched pairs of fresh-frozen bovine femora, following placement of a 45-mm longitudinal crack in the anteromedial cortical wall of the proximal femur. In one group of seven pairs, a single cerclage wire was applied to one specimen of each pair. A triple-wrap of a single cerclage wire was similarly placed in one specimen of each of the other seven pairs. All specimens were axially loaded on a materials testing system machine and the force required to propagate the fracture of the proximal femur was recorded. A triple-wrap cerclage technique required a significant increase in the force to propagate a proximal femur fracture around a non-cemented prosthesis when compared to a single cerclage wire.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Difazio
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Incavo
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Howe