Extended trochanteric osteotomy: planning, surgical technique, and pitfalls.

The extended trochanteric osteotomy is appropriate for a number of surgical indications. It facilitates removal of well-fixed cement mantles with a loose or well-fixed stem and of extensively porous-coated or tapered cementless stems. This exposure is particularly valuable in the presence of varus remodeling of the proximal femur, permitting correction of proximal femoral deformity and reducing the risk of fracture of the greater trochanter. It is also indicated in the removal of a well-fixed cemented stem that is complicated by infection, where it is vital to extract all foreign material for successful eradication of the infection. In addition, when the osteotomy is required for femoral exposure, it enhances acetabular exposure to allow even the most complex reconstruction. Also, as the soft-tissue attachments to the bone fragment are preserved in this approach, abductor muscle tension can be adjusted.