0 Item(s)
Parallel-Sided Femoral Stems
Options for femoral fixation in THA include cemented and noncemented femoral stems. Noncemented femoral implant designs include cylindric fully porous-coated, double-tapered, parallel-sided tapered, modular, and short femoral stems. Parallel-sided tapered stems (also known as blade-type stems or blade stems) are designed to gain initial press-fit fixation between the medial and lateral cortices of the femoral canal and are characterized by their thin anteroposterior dimension, relative to the much wider mediolateral dimension. Compared with other stem designs, these stems are generally considered bone sparing because they preserve a substantial amount of anterior and posterior femoral metaphyseal bone. Indications for the use of parallel-sided tapered stems are the same as those for most noncemented primary THA procedures. The procedure is indicated in patients with substantial pain and radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease in whom an appropriate course of nonsurgical treatment has been unsuccessful and who have adequate femoral bone stock to support the use of noncemented fixation in the proximal femur. This chapter reviews the indications, contraindications, results, and surgical keys for successful use of parallel-sided femoral stems in THA.