Abstract
A trochanteric osteotomy offers extensile exposure of the hip on both the acetabular and femoral sides. The classical trochanteric osteotomy which is transverse and involves a release of the vastus lateralis muscles is complicated by a significant incidence of trochanteric nonunion and more importantly, trochanteric migration. The trochanteric slide was designed to avoid trochanteric migration by keeping the trochanteric fragment in continuity with the abductors and the vastus lateralis. Even if there was a trochanteric nonunion, a trochanteric migration was prevented by continuity of muscles enclosing the greater trochanter in a sling of muscle.
When we first started doing the trochanteric slide, we used the technique originally described which involved starting with the posterior approach to take down the external rotators and the posterior capsule, and then proceeding with the trochanteric osteotomy. We found that our incidence of posterior dislocation increased to 15%. We therefore decided that we would attempt to do this operation but try to preserve the external rotators and the posterior capsule so they remained in situ attached to the main body of the femur, so that the trochanteric osteotomy was carried out just anterior to these muscles and posterior capsule. As a result of this our dislocation rate went from 15% to 3%.
This exposure provides an extensile exposure of the pelvis and femur. If femoral component removal is anticipated to be difficult, then we use exactly the same approach but we extend the trochanteric fragment down as in an extended trochanteric osteotomy.
