The Use of Total Femoral Arthroplasty as a Limb Salvage Procedure

Over the last 25 years, 14 patients have undergone total femoral arthroplasty (TFA) after complications of revision arthroplasty surgery. These patients had previously undergone extensive surgery, which had failed, and required salvage surgery. The alternatives would have been amputation or hip disarticulation. A retrospective review of medical records and radiographs was undertaken, and clinical outcome was evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society criteria. Before TFA, all patients had previously undergone multiple operations (range, 2-10). In 88% of cases, reconstructive options were not only limited by the availability of minimal host bone but also by deep sepsis. Results were encouraging, with most of the patients having greater mobility and less pain after surgery. A third of the patients achieved a 75% improvement in function. We believe that TFA has a definite role in the management of complex problems after extensive hip and knee revision arthroplasty surgery.