Orthopedics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Orthopedics, including details on chronic injuries, muscoskeletal disorders, surgery, reconstruction.

Radiographic bone regeneration and clinical outcome with the Wagner SL revision stem: a 5-year to 12-year follow-up study.

Gutiérrez Del Alamo J, Garcia-Cimbrelo E, Castellanos V, Gil-Garay E

Orthopaedic Department, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain.

We used 79 Wagner SL stems (Sulzer Orthopedics, Baar, Switzerland) in femoral revisions with a minimum 5-year follow-up. There were 11 dislocations. A limb length discrepancy and limp were frequent. One loosened stem was rerevised. The cumulative probability of not having a stem revision for any reason was 92.3% in the best case scenario. Stem subsidence was associated with poor femoral canal filling. Definite proximal new bone regeneration (50 hips) was associated with an absence of major bone defects (P = .01). Lateral and medial femoral cortex and the outside femoral diameter had increased at the end of follow-up (P < .001). Wagner SL femoral revision stems can solve difficult cases with major proximal bone defects or periprosthetic fractures. Radiographic bone fixation and bone regeneration were frequent. Dislocations and stem subsidence were also frequent.

Published 12 June 2007 in J Arthroplasty, 22(4): 515-24.
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