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Case Report

Femoral Shaft Fracture Resulting From Femoral Tracker Placement in Navigated TKA

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Abstract

Computer-assisted navigation is a surgical tool that may decrease malalignment outliers in TKA. With any new surgical technique, there is the possibility of unexpected complications that raise caution. We report two patients with displaced femoral fractures at optical tracker pin placement sites created for routine performance of navigated TKA. Our experience suggests single bicortical 5-mm pins placed in the femoral shaft have the added risk of creating a stress riser leading to the potential for fracture. Females may have a higher risk for this complication. We believe bicortical pin fixation in the femur or tibia no longer is indicated.

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Fig. 1A–D
Fig. 2A–D

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St Anthony’s Hospital, Effingham, IL, USA

    Peter Bonutti MD & Daniel Dethmers MD

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Columbia St Mary’s Hospital, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    James B. Stiehl MD

  3. 575 W Riverwoods Parkway, #204, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA

    James B. Stiehl MD

Authors
  1. Peter Bonutti MD
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  2. Daniel Dethmers MD
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  3. James B. Stiehl MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to James B. Stiehl MD.

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Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participation in the study was obtained.

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Bonutti, P., Dethmers, D. & Stiehl, J.B. Case Report. Clin Orthop Relat Res 466, 1499–1502 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-008-0150-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-008-0150-6

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