Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research: December 2007 - Volume 465 - Issue - p 257-259 doi: 10.1097/BLO.0b013e31813fab74

CASE REPORT: Nodular Skin Metastasis Mimicking Infection in a Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty Scar

Buttaro, Martin, A*; Guala, Agustin, J*; Vigorita, Vincent†; Piccaluga, Francisco*
Hip

We present the case of a 60-year-old man who had metastasis of a nodular squamous cell carcinoma from a laryngeal carcinoma that mimicked an infected sinus in a 4-month postoperative revision total hip arthroplasty scar. A diagnosis was made at the time of frozen section. The patient died 3 months after tumor resection as a result of multiorgan failure. Nodular squamous cell carcinoma metastasis in a total hip arthroplasty scar is extremely uncommon. However, this association must be considered in a patient with a known tumor after revision surgery. In such patients, we recommend obtaining an intraoperative frozen section to avoid misdiagnosis in cases of infected sinuses associated with implants.


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