title: [Total femoral replacement. Three case reports and literature review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently hip and knee joint replacement were performed frequently at orthopedic centers. However, these surgeries do not last forever and thus revision procedures are required. The latter usually involve complications like bone loss that may compromise implant stability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hip and knee arthroplasty revisions were performed from 2006 to 2011, which warranted the total replacement of the femur and the joints involved. The purpose of this paper is to describe our experience with these implants used in arthroplasty revision surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A standardized postoperative management protocol was used in all patients. They required debridement and specific antibiotic therapy. They had a significant improvement in the pain visual analog scale (VAS) (the score went from 8 to 2.3, p ‹ 0.05) and in function, measured with the WOMAC score (from a preoperative score of 21.6 to 55, p ‹ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total femoral replacement is an infrequent, demanding and complex salvage surgery that represents an alternative to the disarticulation of the pelvic limb at the end stage of prosthetic disease. This is a feasible option used to improve patient functionality and decrease residual capacity for performing activities independently.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reconstrucción Articular de Cadera y Rodilla del Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Calz. México-Xochimilco Núm. 289, Col. Arenal de Guadalupe, CP 14389, Del. Tlalpan, México, D.F.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reconstrucción Articular de Cadera y Rodilla del Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Calz. México-Xochimilco Núm. 289, Col. Arenal de Guadalupe, CP 14389, Del. Tlalpan, México, D.F.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ilizaliturri-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reconstrucción Articular de Cadera y Rodilla del Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Calz. México-Xochimilco Núm. 289, Col. Arenal de Guadalupe, CP 14389, Del. Tlalpan, México, D.F.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camacho-Galindo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reconstrucción Articular de Cadera y Rodilla del Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Calz. México-Xochimilco Núm. 289, Col. Arenal de Guadalupe, CP 14389, Del. Tlalpan, México, D.F.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: González-Ugalde
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reconstrucción Articular de Cadera y Rodilla del Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Calz. México-Xochimilco Núm. 289, Col. Arenal de Guadalupe, CP 14389, Del. Tlalpan, México, D.F.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alba-Sánchez
keywords: Femoral replacement; arthroplasty; failure; revision