Autobanking of femoral heads for revision total hip replacement, a preliminary report of a new surgical technique.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Conventional banking of bone allografts has been well documented in the literature. It relies on standardised screening and providing a sterile storage facility. We report a new surgical technique of banking the femoral head in a surgically fashioned subperiosteal iliac pouch and its use for the donor's own surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with an average age of 60 years and a diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the hip with a contralateral symptomatic loose hip replacement were selected. The femoral head was harvested and banked. On retrieval, histological analysis was performed in four specimens with clinical and radiographic review of all subjects.

RESULTS: Radiographic results show good integration of the morselised femoral head bone graft in revision hip surgery. Histological results from four retrieved specimens show viability at eight years and eleven months from insertion into the pouch.

DISCUSSION: Autobanking of the patient's own femoral head is suitable in a select group of patients in whom a combined primary and contralateral revision total hip replacement poses an unacceptable anaesthetic risk. It has the advantage of providing a graft with osteoinductive potential and a reduced risk of infection. It eliminates the need for a storage facility and screening programme. It also provides a portable storage facility if the patient moves elsewhere.