title: Custom-made lateral femoral hemiarthroplasty for traumatic bone loss: A case report.
abstract: We report the case of a 32-year-old male patient involved in a road traffic accident in which he sustained a grade II open supra- and intercondylar fracture of the left distal femur with substantial bone loss of the lateral femoral condyle and trochlea (AO classification type 33 C3). Normal knee function was no longer possible, as the patella was trapped within the bony defect. Existing reconstructive options such as unicondylar osteoarticular allograft, arthrodesis, and arthroplasty were considered. However, as all these techniques present significant disadvantages, particularly in young and active patients, a custom-made lateral hemiarthroplasty was designed and implanted as an alternative treatment. Follow-up at 24 months revealed an excellent, pain-free level of function and radiographs showed no signs of implant loosening or migration. This technique offers the most anatomical means of reconstruction with maximal preservation of the bone stock, thereby better facilitating any revisions that may be necessary in the future. This is an experimental technique reserved for rare indications, and currently has no long-term follow-up results associated with its use. Additional research is therefore needed before widespread adoption of this technique can take place.
authors.affiliation: Sint-Augustinus Hospital, Oosterveldlaan 24, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: bart_stuyts@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stuyts
authors.affiliation: ZNA Stuivenberg, Lange Beeldekensstraat 267, 2060 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peersman
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Saint Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thienpont
authors.affiliation: Sint-Augustinus Hospital, Oosterveldlaan 24, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van den Eeden
authors.affiliation: Sint-Augustinus Hospital, Oosterveldlaan 24, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van der Bracht
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D062785:Hemiarthroplasty / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Bone loss; Custom-made; Hemiarthroplasty; Knee; Trauma