Short Femoral Stem Performance in Femoral Hip Fracture: Clinical and Radiological Evaluation and Comparative Study of Patients Older than 65 Years

TL;DR

Short femoral stems in hip surgery for elderly patients show results similar to traditional stems, with good recovery and low complications.

Contribution

Demonstrates equivalent clinical and radiographic outcomes of short femoral stems compared to conventional stems in elderly hip fracture patients.

Findings

Short femoral stems achieved similar Harris Hip Scores and patient satisfaction as conventional stems.

Low incidence of thigh pain and radiographic loosening was observed in both groups.

Early subsidence and leg length discrepancies were comparable between the two stem types.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Short femoral stems are increasingly used in total hip arthroplasty (THA), yet evidence regarding their performance in elderly femoral neck fracture (FNF) patients is limited. In this study, we compared clinical and radiographic outcomes of the use of a short femoral stem (SFS) versus a conventional standard stem (CSS) in cementless THA. Materials and Methods: This prospective, single-center case–control study (1:2) included patients ≥ 65 years of age with displaced FNF (Garden 3–4) treated with cementless THA. Follow-up lasted a minimum of 2 years. Clinical evaluations included the Harris Hip Score (HHS), Roles and Maudsley satisfaction score, and thigh pain assessment. Radiographic evaluations assessed cup position, osseointegration (Moore signs), radiolucencies (DeLee–Charnley and Gruen zones), subsidence, leg length discrepancy (LLD), and heterotopic ossification. Results: A total of 114 patients were analyzed (38 with SFS versus 76 with CSS). The final follow-up HHS was 87 ± 2.7 (SFS) and 88 ± 2.5 (CSS) (p = 0.231), and satisfaction was excellent in nearly all patients in both groups. Thigh pain was rare and resolved by final follow-up in all SFS patients, and no radiographic loosening was observed. Early subsidence (≤3 mm) occurred in two SFSs and three CSSs without progression, while LLD < 1 cm was present in three SFS and eight CSS cases. No implant-related revisions occurred, and complication rates were low and comparable. Conclusions: Short femoral stems provided clinical and radiographic outcomes equivalent to those of conventional stems in elderly FNF patients treated with cementless THA. Short stems appear to be a safe and effective option in this population, and further studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm their durability.

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