Is the risk of femoral shaft fragmentation higher with the SL-PLUS® hip stem?
The improvements made to the latest SL-PLUS® system have reduced the risk of shaft fragmentation to such an extent that it is now seen less frequently than with cylindrical fill stems. This is attributable in part to the design and the surgical technique and in part to the fact that the operation has now become routine. In patients with an increased risk, i.e. patients with osteoporosis and areas of sclerosis, cerclages may be used prophylactically prior to reaming, e.g. the CCG® Compression Cerclage Gundolf. In such cases the surgeon must take care to ensure that the implant is impacted precisely in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the femur.
