Limb fractures in organ transplanted patients

Patients that have had organ transplantation receive immunosuppressive therapy to prevent organ rejection. Along with this therapy comes a higher incidence of osteoporosis, which may lead to an increased frequency of fractures in post-transplant patients. This article presents three patients who underwent organ transplantation and had subsequent fractures: subcapital fracture of the femoral neck treated with hemiarthroplasty of the hip, in a patient 8 years post cardiac transplantation minimally displaced intertrochanteric fracture treated by percutaneous pinning, in a patient one year post lung transplantation minimally displaced subcapital fracture treated by percutaneous pinning, in a patient 3 months post liver transplantation. Each patient was operated upon successfully and without complications. The three patients were able to resume their activities of sitting and walking after only a few days. In our opinion, preventive treatment for osteoporosis is crucial for candidates of solid organ transplantation. This treatment should be initiated prior to surgery and continued after as well. Transplant patients receiving immunosupression therapy with subsequent osteoporotic fractures of the extremities should undergo early surgical intervention in order to enable a short and quick rehabilitation and early return to normal activities of daily living.