Are Western Knee Designs Dimensionally Correct for Korean Women? A Morphometric Study of Resected Femoral Surfaces during Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the shape of the distal femur of Korean women compared with the prostheses currently available in Korea. METHODS: Morphometric data (5 parameters) were measured in 356 resected femurs of Korean women undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) utilizing the LCS knee implant (DePuy). The data were then compared with 5 additional contemporary TKA implant systems. RESULTS: Implant designs based on Caucasian population data do not ideally match the distal femoral morphology of Korean women. Overhang at the anterior mediolateral width was observed in 84.8% for the LCS while a gender-specific implant resulted in undercoverage of the bone in 86%. Posterior overhang was observed in up to 51.2%. Most implant designs have a narrower intercondylar notch than the morphologic data of Korean women. CONCLUSIONS: Since there is some difference between the shape of distal femur of Korean women and that of the implants, surgeons should have this in mind when selecting an implant for a patient. These data may also be used as a guideline for future prosthetic design options for Korean women population.