This 1940 case report documents the first metallic hip replacement ever performed — a custom vitallium endoprosthesis implanted by Austin Moore and Harold Bohlman to reconstruct the proximal 12 inches of femur destroyed by recurrent giant cell tumor after all conservative treatments had failed.
This landmark case established the proof-of-concept for metallic hip replacement and large-segment prosthetic reconstruction.
While modern techniques have evolved significantly, the fundamental principles of prosthetic design, biological integration, and functional restoration demonstrated here remain relevant for complex reconstruction cases today.
This 1940 case report documents the first metallic hip replacement ever performed — a custom vitallium endoprosthesis implanted by Austin Moore and Harold Bohlman to reconstruct the proximal 12 inches of femur destroyed by recurrent giant cell tumor after all conservative treatments had failed.
This landmark case established the proof-of-concept for metallic hip replacement and large-segment prosthetic reconstruction.
While modern techniques have evolved significantly, the fundamental principles of prosthetic design, biological integration, and functional restoration demonstrated here remain relevant for complex reconstruction cases today.