Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture in a Patient with Osteopetrosis: Treated with Internal Fixation and Complicated by Intraoperative Femoral Neck Fracture

Conversion Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Osteopetrosis: Insights From Two Unique Cases

CASE

Two patients with osteopetrosis underwent conversion total hip arthroplasty (THA) after failure of internal fixation due to hip fractures. We experienced challenges, including difficulty of hardware removal, remaining of previous broken screws in the canal, difficulty in finding the femoral canal, and an intraoperative acetabulum fracture. Despite complications, both patients achieved satisfactory functional outcome after surgery at the latest follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Our cases showed that previous hip fracture and failed internal fixation make conversion THA more complex and unpredictable in patients with osteopetrosis. This in turn underscores the critical need for advanced preoperative planning, intraoperative flexibility, and meticulous postoperative care.

Pediatric patient with a bilateral Salter-Harris II fracture and slipped capital femoral epiphysis secondary to autosomal recessive osteopetrosis

Treatment of femoral neck fractures secondary to osteopetrosis is an uncertain and puzzled decision. Experience in the treatment, especially in the pediatric population, is scarcely reported. The duration of conservative treatment is prolonged and poses the risks of non-union and development of coxa vara deformity. The recommended treatment is closed reduction and internal fixation; however, surgery on osteopetrotic bone is challenging due to defective bone marrow function, delayed consolidation and higher risk of intraoperative fractures. Slipped capital femoral epiphysis secondary to osteopetrosis is very rarely reported. This article presents the case of a 5-year-old female patient with rapidly deteriorating physical function due to bilateral proximal femoral Salter-Harris type II fractures with associated slippage of the growth plates secondary to confirmed autosomal recessive osteopetrosis. Operative treatment was performed in a tertiary level orthopedic center with closed reduction and internal fixation with cannulated screws. A loss of fixation with coxa vara deformity was seen on the left side 7 months postoperatively with increasing pain. A revision surgery with reosteosynthesis and a valgus osteotomy was thus performed which showed good subjective and objective results 1 year postoperatively with complete bony union.