Authors’ Disclosure Statement: The authors report no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.
Dr. Navasartian and Dr. Giliberti are Orthopaedic Surgery Residents, and Dr. Chalnick is an Attending Orthopaedic Surgeon, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey. Dr. Allegra is an Orthopaedic Surgery Resident, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.
Address correspondence to: Douglas Navasartian, MD, MS, Monmouth Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 300 Second Ave., Long Branch, NJ 07740 (tel, 732-222-5200; email, douglas.navasartian@rwjbh.org).
Douglas Navasartian, MD, MS Paul Allegra, MD Benjamin Giliberti, MD and David Chalnick, MD . The Prevention and Treatment of Femoral Trial Head Loss in Total Hip Arthroplasty. Am J Orthop. March 28, 2018
TAKE-HOME POINTS
Femoral head trial loss is a complication that can occur during THA.
This event can be a source of avoidable morbidity.
Preventative measures can be taken to avoid this complication.
If preventative measures fail, retrieval of the femoral trial head can be performed.
A thorough understanding of preventative and retrieval methods is essential for surgeons that perform THA.
References
ABSTRACT
This article aims to provide the information necessary to prevent femoral trial head loss and to offer information regarding retrieval of the trial head if it is lost within the surgical field. These techniques can be used to help guide practice in the future. A review of the literature was conducted using a computerized search of PubMed in regard to this issue to investigate how such an occurrence can be prevented and what steps can be taken if preventative measures fail.
