Occult Sarcoma of the Femoral Head in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty

Total hip arthroplasty is a common treatment for patients with arthritic conditions of the hip joint. Removal of the diseased femoral head is an essential part of this operative procedure. A subsequent pathological examination of the femoral head generally confirms the clinical diagnosis. Recently, however, primary sarcoma of the femoral head was discovered in the specimens from two patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty for presumed benign disease. Although neither patient had clinical evidence of a malignant tumor, both had risk factors for the development of sarcoma in their medical history.