Total hip arthroplasty in patients with below-knee amputations

We present a unique small group of 5 patients with below-knee amputation who underwent total hip arthroplasty after a displaced subcapital fracture of the femur. Three patients were operated on after failed fixation of the fracture, and 2 were operated on as a primary procedure. All 5 patients resumed their prefracture level of activity and mobilization with no deterioration during follow-up (average, 69 months [range, 22-98]). These encouraging results call for use of total hip arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty as the primary treatment modalities of patients with displaced subcapital femoral head fracture in an extremity with below-knee amputation.