Bone morphometry

Anthropometric Analysis of Distal Femur Parameters in the Eastern Uttar-Pradesh Population

INTRODUCTION

Anthropometric measurements of the distal femoral fragment play a crucial role in prosthesis design during arthroplastic knee surgeries and offer valuable clues for stature estimation in forensic investigations. The present study is an attempt to assess various anthropometric parameters of the distal femur in this regard.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 96 intact dry femora were anthropometrically assessed using digital Vernier calipers. The femoral length was measured using an osteometric table. The torsion angle was calculated with an analog goniometer. The various parameters studied included: medial condyle length and thickness, lateral condyle length and thickness, bicondylar width, intercondylar width, intercondylar depth, torsional angle, and femoral length. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using SPSS software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

RESULTS

Mean medial condyle length was 57.38±4.47mm and thickness was 24.53±2.27mm. Mean lateral condyle length and thickness were found to be 58.49±4.3mm and 25.33±3.15mm respectively. Mean bicondylar width was 71.96±6.73mm, mean intercondylar width 21.86±2.71mm, and the intercondylar depth 27.04±2.59mm respectively. The average femur length was 41.87±3.31mm and the average torsion angle was 20.19°±6.99°. Significant correlations were observed between distal femoral parameters. Lateral condyle length showed maximum correlation with other parameters. Femur length was found to correlate significantly with all parameters except medial condyle thickness. Torsion angle was significantly correlated with lateral condyle length and femur length only.

DISCUSSION

The findings of this study show considerable variation from those of other studies done within India. This proves that distal femoral anthropometry has regional variations. These data can aid sports physicians and orthopedic surgeons with implant designing and forensic experts during investigations.

Gender Variation in the Shape of Superior Talar Dome: A Cadaver Measurement Based on Chinese Population

Understanding the shape of superior talar dome is essential for a better size compatibility between talar component of ankle implant and bone. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were gender variations in (1) width (TW) and length (TL) of talus, as well as anterior width (DAW), middle width (DMW), posterior width (DPW), and length (DL) of superior talar dome; (2) differences between the DAW, DMW, and DPW; (3) the ratios between these parameters. Fifty-one cadaveric ankle specimens were included. Two observers measured all the specimens using vernier caliper. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used for intraobserver and interobserver reliability analysis and the reliability was thought to be good if the ICC>0.75. A two-tailed unpaired t-test or the rank-sum test was used to investigate gender variations. A single-factor ANOVA was utilized to identify the differences between the width of the superior talar dome surface and p value of <0.05 was considered significant. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability were good. Significant gender variations were found, in which TW, TL, DAW, DMW, DPW, and DL of female specimens were much smaller than those of male. The width of talar dome linearly decreased from DAW to DPW; however, the linearly decreased rate from anterior to posterior width was bigger in female. Moreover, significant differences were found in DAW/DPW, DMW/DPW, DL/DAW, DL/DMW, and DL/DPW between male and female. Based on our result, there was no difference in the 2D shape of the whole talus instead gender variation existed in the 2D shape of superior talar dome between male and female. The current 2D data could contribute to figure out more suitable size of talar component for Chinese population and might indicate a gender-specific shape of bone-implant interface, which could reduce the potential bone-component incompatibility when performing ankle replacement using standard component.