Total Hip Arthroplasty Using Temporary External Fixation for Limb Control in Short Transfemoral Amputation

Case: A 61-year-old man with a short residual limb after traumatic transfemoral amputation developed progressive ipsilateral hip osteoarthritis with severe pain during prosthetic gait. Intraoperative limb control was challenging because of the absence of a distal lever arm. A temporary circular external fixation system was applied to the proximal femur before preparation, enabling traction and rotation. Total hip arthroplasty was completed successfully. At 1 year postoperatively, the patient demonstrated substantial pain relief and improved prosthetic gait without instability or implant-related complications. Conclusion: Temporary external fixation provides reproducible intraoperative limb control during total hip arthroplasty in patients with short residual limbs.