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Introduction: Periprosthetic femur fractures are complex injuries that can be difficult to treat and recover from. With a growing number of total hip arthroplasties (THA) and revision arthroplasties being performed in an aging population, the incidence of these injuries is on the rise. Multiple studies exist detailing outcomes associated with periprosthetic femur fractures after THA, but no study has directly compared the post-operative course between fracture types as classified by the Vancouver classification system. This study compares the three Vancouver B fracture types to see if any type is associated with an increase in post-operative complications than others. Materials and methods: This retrospective chart review was conducted at a suburban orthopedic surgery department. Overall, 122 patients who presented to our hospital with periprosthetic proximal femur fractures after hip arthroplasty over the past 13 years were reviewed. Patients were included if they underwent surgical stabilization of their femur fracture. Patients were excluded if they underwent non-operative treatment or had missing chart information. For each patient, demographic information, fracture information, surgical information, post-operative course, and post-operative opioid usage were recorded and compared among groups. Results: Overall, 88 fractures were included. Fifty-five (62.5%) were Vancouver type B1, 27 (30.7%) were Vancouver type B2, and 6 (6.8%) were Vancouver type B3. Most of our patients were female (n = 62, 70.5%) and older than 81 years of age (n = 53, 60.2%) with uncemented prosthesis (n = 83, 94.3%). All three fracture groups had statistically similar union rates (p = 0.77), infection rates (p = 0.32), subsequent fractures (p = 0.63), repeat surgeries (p = 0.64), and post-operative opioid use (measured in milli-morphine equivalents) after surgical stabilization (p = 0.96). Conclusions: While periprosthetic femur fractures after hip arthroplasty are associated with high complication rates and poor outcomes, there is no difference in union rate, infection rate, subsequent fractures, repeat surgery rate, and opioid usage between the different Vancouver B fracture types. Level of evidence: Prognostic level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hip arthroplasty (HA) is commonly performed to treat various hip pathologies. Its volume is expected to rise further due to the increasing age of the population. Complication rates are low; however, periprosthetic femoral fractures (PFF) are a rare, albeit serious, complication with substantial economic impact. While current guidelines propose revision with long-stemmed prostheses for all Vancouver B2 and B3 PFF, some recent research papers suggest that open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) could lead to an equivalent outcome. Our aim was to summarize the evidence, elucidating under which circumstances ORIF leads to a favorable outcome after B2 and B3 PFF compared with revision surgery. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies on patients treated with ORIF and with stem revision after B2 and/or B3 fractures. Extracted information included initial pathology, stem fixation mechanism, bone quality and stem stability at the time of PFF, clinical outcomes, and mortality. Results of individual studies were summarized in a table in lieu of a quantitative data synthesis due to a lack of standardized information. Results: We identified 14 original research articles including both patients treated with ORIF and with stem revision after B2 and/or B3 PFF. Five studies included statistical comparisons, all were in favor of ORIF or indeterminate. The common lack of rigorous statistical analyses and significant methodological weaknesses made identification of outcome predictors impossible. Conclusion: The choice of treatment modality for PFF depends on fracture, implant, and bone characteristics. Recent data show that successful outcome can be achieved without revising loose stems. ORIF may be a viable option if bone stock is adequate around uncemented or tapered polished stems with an intact cement mantle and the fracture geometry allows stable anatomic reconstruction. Conceptional considerations support this idea, but more data are needed to identify outcome predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]