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Study finds kinematic differences in gender specific vs. traditional knee implants
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Researchers of this study found that although quality of life did not differ between patients who received gender specific femoral implants vs. traditional knee implants, patellofemoral and tibiofemoral kinematics differed during early flexion.
"We found that gender specific [GS] implants affected the patellar shift in relation to the origin of the femoral component in early flexion and the shift within the femoral groove at mid-flexion, with a trend in both early and late flexion," Stefan K. Saevarsson, MSc, and colleagues wrote in the study.
The study of 24 women who had a total knee arthroplasty (TKA), including one patient with a bilateral TKA, included 15 GS implants and 10 traditional implants. CT and radiographic images were used to observe each implant. Skyline view images were taken to view the patellar tracking. The investigators compared 6° of freedom for the patellar components and the tibial components relative to the femoral component, and they collected quality of life data using a variety of surveys.
Researchers observed that the patella was more lateral for the GS femoral components relative to both the center of the femoral component and the deepest point of the femoral groove. Both groups of patients had good patellar tracking. Using geometric measurements, however, the researchers could not conclude if the differences in patellar shift were due to the type of implant. Tibial component rotation, joint line elevation or hip knee ankle angle could account for patellar complications. There was no significant difference in quality of life between the two groups, according to the results.
Researchers cited study limitations, such as small sample size and some selection bias.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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