[What do we know about atypical fractures in patients on biphosphonates treatment? A literature review using a case series]. / ¿Qué sabemos de las fracturas atípicas en los pacientes en tratamiento con bifosfonatos? Revisión bibliográfica a raíz de una serie de casos.

AIM: Retrospective review of long term biphosphonates treated patients who sustained a subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femoral fracture with an atypical pattern. A literature review is presented as an update of the topic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 13 subtrochanteric or diaphyseal fractures in female patients treated with biphosphonates at our institution from September 2007 to March 2011. RESULTS: Four cases of subtrochanteric fractures and 13 diaphyseal fractures were detected. Four patients had bilateral fractures. All cases but one (that affected only the lateral cortex) were complete fractures. Surgically, these kinds of fractures are demanding due to the hardness of the bones. DISCUSSION: It is difficult to know if there is any relationship between bisphosphonates treatment and atypical femoral fractures. Nevertheless, current literature supports a greater benefit of their use in preventing vertebral and non-vertebral fractures. For this reason, biphosphonates continue being considered as a first choice in the prevention of osteoporotic fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Patients on long-term treatment with bisphosphonates may present atypical femoral fractures as a complication. It is considered that the maximum period for biphosphonates treatment should not exceed 5 years.

¿Qué sabemos de las fracturas atípicas en los pacientes en tratamiento con bifosfonatos? Revisión bibliográfica a raíz de una serie de casos / What do we know about atypical fractures in patients on biphosphonates treatment? A literature review using a case series

Objetivos. Realizamos una revisión retrospectiva de los pacientes en tratamiento de forma prolongada con bifosfonatos que presentaron fracturas subtrocantéreas y diafisarias de fémur de patrón atípico. Revisión de la literatura existente con el fin de realizar una actualización del tema con consideraciones de interés para el cirujano ortopeda y traumatólogo. Material y métodos. Revisión de 13 pacientes en tratamiento con bifosfonatos con fracturas subtrocantéreas y diafisarias de fémur tratadas en nuestro centro entre septiembre de 2007 y marzo de 2011. Resultados. Se detectaron 4 casos de fracturas subtrocantéreas y 13 de fracturas diafisarias. Cuatro pacientes presentaron fracturas bilaterales. Todas las fracturas eran completas salvo un caso en el que era incompleta con afectación de la cortical lateral. La intervención quirúrgica fue más demandante técnicamente por encontrarse un hueso pétreo como consecuencia de la medicación con bifosfonatos. Discusión. Existe la dificultad de establecer la relación causal directa entre el tratamiento prolongado con bifosfonatos y las fracturas atípicas femorales. No obstante, la literatura actual refiere un beneficio superior en la prevención de fracturas vertebrales y no vertebrales y, por tanto, se continua considerando a los bifosfonatos como un fármaco de primera elección en la prevención de las fracturas osteoporóticas. Conclusiones. Los pacientes con tratamiento prolongado con bifosfonatos pueden presentar fracturas atípicas femorales como complicación. Se considera que debe evaluarse en un periodo medio menor a 5 años la sustitución parcial o definitiva por otro fármaco, teniendo en cuenta el riesgo residual de fractura estimado en ese momento (AU)

Aim. Retrospective review of long term biphosphonates treated patients who sustained a subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femoral fracture with an atypical pattern. A literature review is presented as an update of the topic. Material and methods. A retrospective study was conducted on 13 subtrochanteric or diaphyseal fractures in female patients treated with biphosphonates at our institution from September 2007 to March 2011. Results. Four cases of subtrochanteric fractures and 13 diaphyseal fractures were detected. Four patients had bilateral fractures. All cases but one (that affected only the lateral cortex) were complete fractures. Surgically, these kinds of fractures are demanding due to the hardness of the bones. Discussion. It is difficult to know if there is any relationship between bisphosphonates treatment and atypical femoral fractures. Nevertheless, current literature supports a greater benefit of their use in preventing vertebral and non-vertebral fractures. For this reason, biphosphonates continue being considered as a first choice in the prevention of osteoporotic fractures. Conclusions. Patients on long-term treatment with bisphosphonates may present atypical femoral fractures as a complication. It is considered that the maximum period for biphosphonates treatment should not exceed 5 years (AU)

Use of polymethylmethacrylate to treat pigmented villonodular synovitis in the posterior compartment of the knee.

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a benign process that mainly affects the knee joint. There are two types of PVNS, a localised and a diffuse form. Although adjuvant therapies are possible, the treatment consists of arthroscopic or open synovectomy of the affected area. The most common complication is local recurrence. We report the case of a patient with PVNS and osteolysis of the femoral condyle, treated with anterior arthroscopic synovectomy and posterior approach for the treatment of the femoral condyle erosion. The bone erosion was treated with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement. There are no publications indexed in our knowledge that explain the treatment of PVNS associated with bone erosion by PMMA. Nine years after the procedure, the patient is leading a fully active life with no evidence of active disease.