Disassembly of bipolar hemiarthroplasty cup causing stem notching: A case report

Abstract

Bipolar hemiarthroplasty has been a well-established treatment for femoral neck fractures. We report a case of spontaneous dissociation of bipolar cup in a 68-year-old female with edge of the bipolar shell notched onto the femoral stem. Revision surgery to total hip arthroplasty was performed with acetabulum and bipolar cup component replaced and notched stem retained. While bipolar cup dissociation has been reported in case series, this associated notching from bipolar cup dissociation onto femoral stem has rarely been reported. We reviewed the current literature on dissociation of bipolar hip hemiarthroplasty regarding the pattern, risk factors, as well as its salvage options.