Allografting in total hip arthroplasty: in adults with severe acetabular deficiency including a surgical technique for bolting the graft to the ilium.

In sharp contrast to the excellent short-term results of total hip arthroplasty, the complex problems presented by severe, non-septic failure secondary to loosening and by major deficiencies in bone stock are formidable. Frozen femoral head allogenic bone provides the massive bone grafts needed in such cases when the autogenous femoral head bone is missing. Frozen femoral head allografts were used in 13 hips (12 patients). The femoral head allogenic bone made it possible to reconstruct a joint that otherwise would not be available to total joint cup arthroplasty. The long-term results of the allografts are unknown. A dual surgical approach for rigid fixation of the allogeneic bone to the pelvis using bolts makes it possible to fix the nut on the bolt under direct vision. Follow-up ranged from six to 34 months (mean, 17.3).