Consensus review on peri-implant femur fracture treatment: Peri-Implant Spanish Consensus (PISCO) investigators’ recommendations

A peri-implant femoral fracture (PIFF) is defined as a femoral fracture in the presence of a pre-existing non-prosthetic implant. Classification systems, treatment guidelines and fixation strategies exist for peri-prosthetic fractures, but there is no standard of care regarding PIFFs. The aim of the Peri-Implant Spanish Consensus (aka PISCO) investigators is to reach an agreement regarding current practices for management of PIFFs and to propose four main principles to assess surgical treatment and prevention of these fractures. This consensus review was conducted according to the Delphi method. Twenty-two expert orthopaedic trauma surgeons performed the consensus and the definitive statements were approved unanimously. Biological fixation principles must be utilized in the surgical treatment of peri-implant femur fractures, which include closed or minimally invasive reduction techniques. The osteosynthesis must protect the entire bone. Gaps between two implants should be avoided. If implant overlap is not possible to achieve, then spanning inter-implant fixation systems must be used, especially in osteoporotic bone. Previous implants should be retained during surgical treatment of peri-implant femur fractures. Only those implants that would interfere with current fixation goals should be removed. If the previous implant is in the femoral neck region, then femoral neck protection must be maintained when treating the peri-implant fracture, even if the neck fracture has already healed.