Gender analysis of the anterior femoral condyle geometry of the knee.
BACKGROUND
No study has used 3-D anatomic knee models to investigate the gender differences in anterior femoral condyles. Therefore, this study aims to determine the morphologic differences between genders in anterior femoral condyles of the knees using 3-D anatomic knee models.


METHODS
Ninety-six male and sixty-five female 3D anatomic knee models were used to measure lateral and medial anterior condyle heights, anterior trochlear groove heights, and anterior condyle width, which were normalized by the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral dimensions of the knee, respectively. The shape of anterior condyle groove was also analyzed.


RESULTS
The mean lateral anterior condyle height, medial anterior condyle height and anterior condyle width of females were 6.6±1.8 mm, 2.0±2.3 mm, and 44.7±4.2 mm, respectively. These data were significantly smaller (p<0.05) than those of males (7.7±1.8 mm, 2.9±2.0 mm and 50.0±3.4 mm). However, after normalizing by the femur size, the aspect ratios had no gender differences. Both the ranges of lateral and medial condyle of females were significantly smaller than those of males, and the geometry curve of anterior condyle was different between genders.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the gender differences in anterior femoral condyle sizes no longer existed after normalization with the femur size, the shape and the peak position of anterior condyle groove still have gender differences. The data may have important implications on the current debate of gender-specific TKAs.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides a better understanding of gender differences in anterior femoral condyle geometry.
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510010, China.
Pingyue
P
Li
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Tsung-Yuan
TY
Tsai
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Jing-Sheng
JS
Li
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Shaobai
S
Wang
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510010, China.
Yu
Y
Zhang
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Young-Min
YM
Kwon
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Harry E
HE
Rubash
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: gli1@partners.org.
Guoan
G
Li
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Anterior femoral condyle; Gender-specific knee; TKA