Trends in Cemented Fixation in Hemiarthroplasty for Hip Fractures in Canada.

Bacground: The use of cemented fixation is widely recommended in hip arthroplasty for hip fractures, although it is not used universally. Methods: We describe the trends in cementing prevalence in hemiarthroplasty for hip fractures in Canada for patients ≥55 years old between April 2017 and March 2022. Results: The national prevalence of cemented fixation increased from 43% in 2017/18 to 58% in 2021/22, but there was a large variety of both the baseline prevalence and the trends across the country and between individual hospitals. The proportion of surgeons only performing cementless fixation fell from 30% to 21% between 2018/19 and 2021/22. Conclusions: As cemented fixation is now universally recommended, more coordination is needed to track these trends and to help drive implementation of this evidence-based practice across Canada.

Consensus for a primary care clinical decision-making tool for assessing, diagnosing, and managing low back pain in Alberta, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition causing disability and high healthcare costs. Alberta faces challenges with unnecessary referrals to specialists and long wait times. A province-wide standardized clinical care pathway based on evidence-based best practices can improve efficiency, reduce wait times, and enhance patient outcomes. Implementing such pathways has shown success in other areas of healthcare in Alberta. This study developed a clinical decision-making pathway to standardize care and minimize uncertainty in assessment, diagnosis, and management. METHODS: A systematic rapid review identified existing tools and evidence that could support a comprehensive LBP clinical decision-making tool. Forty-seven healthcare professionals participated in four rounds of a modified Delphi approach to reach consensus on the assessment, diagnosis, and management of patients presenting to primary care with LBP in Alberta, Canada. This project was a collaborative effort between Alberta Health Services' Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network (BJHSCN) and the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI). RESULTS: A province-wide expert panel consisting of professionals from different health disciplines and regions collaborated to develop an LBP clinical decision-making tool. This tool presents clinical care pathways for acute, subacute, and chronic LBP. It also provides guidance for history-taking, physical examination, patient education, and management. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical decision-making tool will help to standardize care, provide guidance on the diagnosis and management of LBP, and assist in clinical decision-making for primary care providers in both public and private sectors.

Wait time management strategies at centralized intake system for hip and knee replacement surgery: A need for a blended evidence-based and patient-centered approach.

Objectives: Delays in access to specialty care and elective hip and knee total joint replacement (TJR) surgery remain a major concern among patients with osteoarthritis (OA) in Canada. Centralized intake systems as a wait time management strategy in the face of resource constraints can increase access and patient flow through the system but are not standard practice. We examine how wait time management strategies for the assessment and triaging referrals in a centralized intake system can inform quality improvement initiatives. Design: We developed a discrete-event simulation model using all referrals to the Edmonton Bone and Joint Centre centralized intake system from 2012 to 2016 for the base case model. We assessed the combined effect of three wait time management strategies: improved prioritization, improved sorting through screening, and increased conservative management. Outcomes were measured in terms of patient flow and wait times. Results: The screener sees more patient referrals (7094 compared to 6922), and the number of patients who proceed to surgery is reduced by 282 patients (4%) in the wait time management scenario compared to the base case model. Wait times from referral to surgery are reduced by 54 days for surgical patients. Furthermore, urgent surgical patients experienced lower wait times in all stages of care than non-urgent patients, with wait times from referral to surgery reduced by 86 days. Conclusions: Triaging processes addressing prioritization, screening and conservative management of non-surgical patients can improve patient flow and significantly reduce patient wait times in a centralized intake process for TJR.

Comparing 1-year and 10-year whole blood metal ion results following Birmingham hip resurfacing for osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty may develop adverse reactions to metal debris that can lead to clinically concerning symptoms, often needing revision surgery. As such, many regulatory authorities advocate for routine blood metal ion measurement. This study compares whole blood metal ion levels obtained 1 year following Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) to levels obtained at a minimum 10-year follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify all patients who underwent a BHR for osteoarthritis with a minimum 10-year follow-up. Whole blood metal ion levels were obtained at final follow-up in June 2019. These results were compared with patients' metal ion levels at 1 year. RESULTS: Of the 211 patients who received a BHR, 71 patients (54 males and 17 females) had long-term metal ion levels assessed (mean follow-up 12.7 ± 1.4 yr). The mean cobalt and chromium levels for patients with unilateral BHRs (43 males and 13 females) were 3.12 ± 6.31 µg/L and 2.62 ± 2.69 µg/L, respectively; for patients with bilateral BHRs (11 males and 4 females) cobalt and chromium levels were 2.78 ± 1.02 µg/L and 1.83 ± 0.65 µg/L, respectively. Thirty-five patients (27 male and 8 female) had metal ion levels tested at 1 year postoperatively. The mean changes in cobalt and chromium levels were 2.29 µg/L (p = 0.0919) and 0.57 µg/L (p = 0.1612), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that regular metal ion testing as per current regulatory agency guidelines may be impractical for asymptomatic patients. Metal ion levels may in fact have little utility in determining the risk of failure and should be paired with radiographic and clinical findings to determine the need for revision.

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing for osteoarthritis - a Canadian retrospective cohort study with a minimum 10-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Young men with osteoarthritis of the hip are a growing segment of the population requiring arthroplasty, and there is compelling evidence that the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) system provides good functional outcomes and durability in young, active men. We reviewed the survivorship and clinical outcomes of patients who underwent BHR with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. METHODS: We analyzed survivorship using the Kaplan-Meier method. Functional scoring was performed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Activity Score, and a visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: In total, 211 patients (243 hips) were included in the study. Of these, 107 patients (127 hips) were available for long-term clinical follow-up, with a mean duration of 12.4 ± 1.4 years. The proportion of male participants with BHRs surviving past 13 years was 93.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 87.9%-100%) compared with 87% (95% CI 77.8%-97.3%) of female patients. Eleven patients (11 hips) underwent BHR revision. Upon final follow-up, the median HHS was 93.9 in males and 93.6 in females (p = 0.27); median UCLA Activity Score was 8.2 in males and 7.2 in females (p < 0.001), and the median VAS score was 81.9 in males and 81.3 in females (p = 0.35). The median acetabular component inclination was 45.5° ± 6.0° (range 34.6°-57.2°) in males and 44.6° ± 5.9° (range 29°-58.9°) in females. The most common femoral head size was 50 mm with a 56 mm or 58 mm cup (36.3%). CONCLUSION: This study confirms that BHR provides good to excellent functional outcomes, lasting functional improvements, and acceptable durability beyond 10 years in men. Survivorship following BHR is inferior in women; however, HHS and VAS scores were similar in women and men.

Consensus for a primary care clinical decision-making tool for assessing, diagnosing, and managing shoulder pain in Alberta, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is a highly prevalent condition and a significant cause of morbidity and functional disability. Current data suggests that many patients presenting with shoulder pain at the primary care level are not receiving high quality care. Primary care decision-making is complex and has the potential to influence the quality of care provided and patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop a clinical decision-making tool that standardizes care and minimizes uncertainty in assessment, diagnosis, and management. METHODS: First a rapid review was conducted to identify existing tools and evidence that could support a comprehensive clinical decision-making tool for shoulder pain. Secondly, provincial consensus was established for the assessment, diagnosis, and management of patients presenting to primary care with shoulder pain in Alberta, Canada using a three-step modified Delphi approach. This project was a highly collaborative effort between Alberta Health Services' Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network (BJH SCN) and the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI). RESULTS: A clinical decision-making tool for shoulder pain was developed and reached consensus by a province-wide expert panel representing various health disciplines and geographical regions. This tool consists of a clinical examination algorithm for assessing, diagnosis, and managing shoulder pain; recommendations for history-taking and identification of red flags or additional concerns; recommendations for physical examination and neurological screening; recommendations for the differential diagnosis; and care pathways for managing patients presenting with rotator cuff disease, biceps pathology, superior labral tear, adhesive capsulitis, osteoarthritis, and instability. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical decision-making tool will help to standardize care, provide guidance on the diagnosis and management of shoulder pain, and assist in clinical decision-making for primary care providers in both public and private sectors.

Long wait times for knee and hip total joint replacement in Canada: An isolated health system problem, or a symptom of a larger problem?

Introduction: The wait times crisis for hip and knee total joint replacement surgery has been a significant health care issue in Alberta and across Canada. Significant resource and financial efforts have been put forward to reduce wait times for surgery as a means of treating patients with osteoarthritis (OA), but the gains achieved were not sustained. Objective: To effectively address wait time issues, an alternative perspective on this problem is presented - that the wait times are an immediate problem for those needing surgery, but are also a symptom of the bigger issue of an inability of health care systems in Canada to address the needs of individuals with early OA with first-line treatment protocols. Discussion: In considering this more comprehensive understanding of the overall OA management problem, encapsulated by the concept of an "osteoarthritis funnel", we outline potential approaches for a solution on a systemic level that integrates services delivery, health care resource allocation and conceptualization of OA in research activities. It also emphasizes the need for a more effective and relevant program of research to address this complex problem that requires unique solutions. Conclusions: New approaches and understanding are needed to address integrated implementation of effective first-line treatments for newly diagnosed osteoarthritis to prevent the expanding demand for joint replacement surgery. While the focus here is on the Canadian perspective, the need to develop and implement better first-line treatments for those with early OA and those at risk for development of OA is not unique to Canada.

A critical review of weight loss recommendations before total knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Increased infection risk after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with a higher body mass index (BMI), particularly a BMI ≥40kg/m2, suggests that BMI reduction (through weight loss) prior to TKA may be important. However, the impact of weight loss on TKA risk reduction is unclear. Furthermore, weight loss could have detrimental consequences with respect to muscle loss and development of sarcopenic obesity, whereby a potential weight loss paradox in adults with advanced knee OA and obesity may be present. Using a critical review approach, we examined the current evidence supporting weight loss in adults with obesity and advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA). We focused on three key areas: (1) TKA complication risk with severe obesity compared to obesity (BMI ≥40kg/m2 versus 30.0-39.9kg/m2); (2) weight loss recommendations for individuals with advanced knee OA; and (3) TKA outcomes after pre-surgical weight loss. METHODS: Medline and CINAHL databases were examined from Jan 2010 to May 2020 to identify high-level and/or clinically-influential evidence (systematic reviews, meta-analyses and clinical practice guidelines). RESULTS: The literature does not show a clear relationship between weight loss and reduction in TKA complications, and no indication that a patients' individual risk is lowered by reducing their BMI from a threshold of ≥40kg/m2 to ≤39.9kg/m2. Studies that have found a benefit of weight loss for knee OA have not included patients with higher BMIs (≥40kg/m2) or more advanced knee OA. Furthermore, there is unclear evidence of a benefit of pre-surgical weight loss on TKA outcomes. These are important evidence gaps, suggesting that recommendations for BMI reduction prior to TKA should be tempered by the current uncertainty in the literature. CONCLUSION: Evidence to support a benefit of weight loss prior to TKA is lacking. Until knowledge gaps are clarified, it is recommended that practitioners consider individual patient needs and risk before recommending weight loss (and therefore BMI reduction).

Existing comorbidities in people with osteoarthritis: a retrospective analysis of a population-based cohort in Alberta, Canada.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of comorbidities among people with osteoarthritis (OA) using administrative health data. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING: All residents in the province of Alberta, Canada registered with the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan population registry. PARTICIPANTS: 497 362 people with OA as defined by 'having at least one OA-related hospitalization, or at least two OA-related physician visits or two ambulatory care visits within two years'. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We selected eight comorbidities based on literature review, clinical consultation and the availability of validated case definitions to estimate their frequencies at the time of diagnosis of OA. Sex-stratified age-standardised prevalence rates per 1000 population of eight clinically relevant comorbidities were calculated using direct standardisation with 95% CIs. We applied χ2 tests of independence with a Bonferroni correction to compare the percentage of comorbid conditions in each age group. RESULTS: 54.6% (n=2 71 794) of people meeting the OA case definition had at least one of the eight selected comorbidities. Females had a significantly higher rate of comorbidities compared with males (standardised rates ratio=1.26, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.28). Depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension were the most prevalent in both females and males after age-standardisation, with 40% of all cases having any combination of these comorbidities. We observed a significant difference in the percentage of comorbidities among age groups, illustrated by the youngest age group (<45 years) having the highest percentage of cases with depression (24.6%), compared with a frequency of 16.1% in those >65 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the high frequency of comorbidity in people with OA, with depression having the highest age-standardised prevalence rate. Comorbidities differentially affect females, and vary by age. These factors should inform healthcare programme and delivery.

Continuous quality improvement program for hip and knee replacement.

Improving quality of care and maximizing efficiency are priorities in hip and knee replacement, where surgical demand and costs increase as the population ages. The authors describe the integrated structure and processes from the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Program for Hip and Knee Replacement Surgical Care and summarize lessons learned from implementation. The Triple Aim framework and 6 dimensions of quality care are overarching constructs of the CQI program. A validated, evidence-based clinical pathway that measures quality across the continuum of care was adopted. Working collaboratively, multidisciplinary experts embedded the CQI program into everyday practices in clinics across Alberta. Currently, 83% of surgeons participate in the CQI program, representing 95% of the total volume of hip and knee surgeries. Biannual reports provide feedback to improve care processes, infrastructure planning, and patient outcomes. CQI programs evaluating health care services inform choices to optimize care and improve efficiencies through continuous knowledge translation.

Performance management tools motivate change at the frontlines.

Performance management tools commonly used in business, such as incentives and the balanced scorecard, can be effectively applied in the public healthcare sector to improve quality of care. The province of Alberta applied these tools with the Institute for Health Improvement Learning Collaborative method to accelerate adoption of a clinical care pathway for hip and knee replacements. The results showed measurable improvements in all quality dimensions, including shorter hospital stays and wait times, higher bed utilization, earlier patient ambulation, and better patient outcomes.

Hip resurfacing versus total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review comparing standardized outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Metal-on-metal hip resurfacing was developed for younger, active patients as an alternative to THA, but it remains controversial. Study heterogeneity, inconsistent outcome definitions, and unstandardized outcome measures challenge our ability to compare arthroplasty outcomes studies. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We asked how early revisions or reoperations (within 5 years of surgery) and overall revisions, adverse events, and postoperative component malalignment compare among studies of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing with THA among patients with hip osteoarthritis. Secondarily, we compared the revision frequency identified in the systematic review with revisions reported in four major joint replacement registries. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of English language studies published after 1996. Adverse events of interest included rates of early failure, time to revision, revision, reoperation, dislocation, infection/sepsis, femoral neck fracture, mortality, and postoperative component alignment. Revision rates were compared with those from four national joint replacement registries. Results were reported as adverse event rates per 1000 person-years stratified by device market status (in use and discontinued). Comparisons between event rates of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing and THA are made using a quasilikelihood generalized linear model. We identified 7421 abstracts, screened and reviewed 384 full-text articles, and included 236. The most common study designs were prospective cohort studies (46.6%; n = 110) and retrospective studies (36%; n = 85). Few randomized controlled trials were included (7.2%; n = 17). RESULTS: The average time to revision was 3.0 years for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (95% CI, 2.95-3.1) versus 7.8 for THA (95% CI, 7.2-8.3). For all devices, revisions and reoperations were more frequent with metal-on-metal hip resurfacing than THA based on point estimates and CIs: 10.7 (95% CI, 10.1-11.3) versus 7.1 (95% CI, 6.7-7.6; p = 0.068), and 7.9 (95% CI, 5.4-11.3) versus 1.8 (95% CI, 1.3-2.2; p = 0.084) per 1000 person-years, respectively. This difference was consistent with three of four national joint replacement registries, but overall national joint replacement registries revision rates were lower than those reported in the literature. Dislocations were more frequent with THA than metal-on-metal hip resurfacing: 4.4 (95% CI, 4.2-4.6) versus 0.9 (95% CI, 0.6-1.2; p = 0.008) per 1000 person-years, respectively. Adverse event rates change when discontinued devices were included. CONCLUSIONS: Revisions and reoperations are more frequent and occur earlier with metal-on-metal hip resurfacing, except when discontinued devices are removed from the analyses. Results from the literature may be misleading without consistent definitions, standardized outcome metrics, and accounting for device market status. This is important when clinicians are assessing and communicating patient risk and when selecting which device is most appropriate for individual patients.

Cost-utility of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing compared to conventional total hip replacement in young active patients with osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty (MoM HRA) has emerged as an alternative to total hip arthroplasty (THA) for younger active patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Birmingham hip resurfacing is the most common MoM HRA in Alberta, and is therefore compared with conventional THA. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to estimate the expected cost-utility of MoM HRA versus THA, in younger patients with OA, using a decision analytic model with a 15-year time horizon. METHODS: A probabilistic Markov decision analytic model was constructed to estimate the expected cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) of MoM HRA versus THA from a health care payer perspective. The base case considered patients with OA aged 50 years; men comprised 65.9% of the cohort. Sensitivity analyses evaluated cohort age, utility values, failure probabilities, and treatment costs. Data were derived from the Hip Improvement Project and the Hip and Knee Replacement Pilot databases in Alberta, the 2010 National Joint Replacement Registry of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, and the literature. RESULTS: In the base case, THA was dominated by MoM HRA (incremental mean costs of -$583 and incremental mean QALYs of 0.079). In subgroup analyses, THA remained dominated when cohort age was 40 years instead of 50 years or when only men were assessed. THA dominated when the cohort age was 60 years or when only women were assessed. Results were sensitive to utilities, surgery costs, and MoM HRA revision and conversion probabilities. At a willingness-to-pay of Can $50,000/QALY, there was a 58% probability that MoM HRA is cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that, on average, MoM HRA was preferred to THA for younger and male patients, but THA is still a reasonable option if the patient or clinician prefers given the small absolute differences between the options and the confidence ellipses around the cost-effectiveness estimates.

Kinematic differences between gender specific and traditional knee implants.

In the ongoing debate about gender-specific (GS) vs. traditional knee implants, there is limited information about patella-specific outcomes. GS femoral component features should provide better patellar tracking, but techniques have not existed previously to test this accurately. Using novel computed tomography and radiography imaging protocols, 15 GS knees were compared to 10 traditional knees, for the 6 degrees of freedom of the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joints throughout the range of motion, plus other geometric measures and quality of life (QOL). Significant differences were found for patellar medial/lateral shift, where the patella was shifted more laterally for the GS femoral component. Neither group demonstrated patellar maltracking. There were no other significant differences in this well-functioning group.

A safe overhang limit for unicompartmental knee arthroplasties based on medial collateral ligament strains: an in vitro study.

Excessive tibial component overhang during unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) may cause medial collateral ligament (MCL) impingement, which, in turn, may lead to medial knee pain [Chau et al. Tibial component overhang 226 following unicompartmental knee replacement-does it matter? The Knee. 2009;16(5):310-3]. This study examines MCL loads in 6 human cadaveric knees for different levels of overhang using a robotic testing system. The results indicated no statistically significant difference between the baseline MCL load (no overhang) and the 2-mm overhang (P = .261). However, there were significant differences in MCL load between 2- vs 4-mm (P = .012) and 2- vs 6-mm overhang (P = .022). The loads were almost doubled from 2 to 4 mm of overhang. We conclude that, to minimize pain from excessive MCL loading, surgeons should avoid tibial component overhang greater than 2 mm in unicompartmental knee arthroplasties.

Voluntary versus involuntary waiting for joint replacements: new Alberta wait times rules for hip and knee arthroplasties, with provincial consensus.

Despite various health system improvements across Alberta, the wait times benchmark was not being met for all patients requiring hip or knee arthroplasty. Alberta Health Services Bone and Joint Clinical Network working groups, in collaboration with other provincial organizations, gained consensus on the development and implementation of a set of provincial Wait Times Rules. These rules standardize the definition and measurement of data elements specific to joint replacement and distinguish between voluntary (patient-related) versus involuntary (healthcare system-related) wait times. Collectively, this information will help identify trends in wait times and more accurately show where wait times can be reduced.

The Development and validation of a self-administered quality-of-life outcome measure for young, active patients with symptomatic hip disease: the International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-33).

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a self-administered evaluative tool to measure health-related quality of life in young, active patients with hip disorders. METHODS: This outcome measure was developed for active patients (aged 18 to 60 years, Tegner activity level ≥ 4) presenting with a variety of symptomatic hip conditions. This multicenter study recruited patients from international hip arthroscopy and arthroplasty surgeon practices. The outcome was created using a process of item generation (51 patients), item reduction (150 patients), and pretesting (31 patients). The questionnaire was tested for test-retest reliability (123 patients); face, content, and construct validity (51 patients); and responsiveness over a 6-month period in post-arthroscopy patients (27 patients). RESULTS: Initially, 146 items were identified. This number was reduced to 60 through item reduction, and the items were categorized into 4 domains: (1) symptoms and functional limitations; (2) sports and recreational physical activities; (3) job-related concerns; and (4) social, emotional, and lifestyle concerns. The items were then formatted using a visual analog scale. Test-retest reliability showed Pearson correlations greater than 0.80 for 33 of the 60 questions. The intraclass correlation statistic was 0.78, and the Cronbach α was .99. Face validity and content validity were ensured during development, and construct validity was shown with a correlation of 0.81 to the Non-Arthritic Hip Score. Responsiveness was shown with a paired t test (P ≤ .01), effect size of 2.0, standardized response mean of 1.7, responsiveness ratio of 6.7, and minimal clinically important difference of 6 points. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a new quality-of-life patient-reported outcome measure, the 33-item International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-33). This questionnaire uses a visual analog scale response format designed for computer self-administration by young, active patients with hip pathology. Its development has followed the most rigorous methodology involving a very large number of patients. The iHOT-33 has been shown to be reliable; shows face, content, and construct validity; and is highly responsive to clinical change. In our opinion the iHOT-33 can be used as a primary outcome measure for prospective patient evaluation and randomized clinical trials.

Functional outcomes for 2 years comparing hip resurfacing and total hip arthroplasty.

This prospective observational study of 499 patients with hip resurfacing and 255 patients with total hip arthroplasty compared outcomes for 2 years. We used propensity scores to identify matched cohorts of 118 patients with hip resurfacing and 118 patients with total hip arthroplasty. We used these cohorts to compare improvements in the Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index and Medical Outcomes Short-Form 36 physical function component (SF-36 PF) scores at 3 months and at 1 and 2 years postsurgery. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements from baseline in WOMAC and SF-36 PF. Improvements in SF-36 PF were greater for patients with hip resurfacing than for patients with total hip arthroplasty 1 and 2 years postsurgery; improvements in WOMAC were similar for both groups. The clinical significance of this observation needs further investigation.

Bilateral femoral insufficiency fractures likely related to long-term alendronate therapy.

Osteoporosis-related fractures are a major public health problem and one in two women and one in four men are affected with osteoporosis-related fractures. Alendronate (Fosamax) is one of the first bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis effectively. Recently, however, there is a concern regarding long bone insufficiency fractures related to long-term alendronate therapy. We report a case of bilateral femoral insufficiency fractures likely related to long-term alendronate therapy, the classic symptoms, signs, and treatment of these fractures.