[Extensive coxo-femoral resection with preservation of the thumb for prosthesis. An alternative to disarticulation at the hip].

To avoid the severe mutilation of a hip disarticulation and to improve limb-fitting, a method of partial limb preservation is proposed. Two cases of septic arthritis of the hip with neurological and atrophic lesions sufficient to justify disarticulation are described. Disarticulation was avoided by partial conservation of the thigh with an extensive resection of the upper end of the femur, a through-knee amputation and a large posterior musculo-cutaneous flap including the triceps surae whose muscle provided a good cover for an end-bearing myoplasty. The stump obtained was of good quality which, though a little unstable, was firm and well provided with muscle which allowed early mobilization with a temporary prosthesis and later limb-fitting with much more satisfactory function than that in a hip disarticulation.