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Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 4/2023

05-10-2021 | Osteoarthrosis | KNEE

Proximal external femoral torsion increases lateral femoral shaft bowing: a study based on 3D CT reconstruction models

Authors: LiMing Liu, Kai Lei, Xin Chen, DeJie Fu, Pengfei Yang, Liu Yang, Lin Guo

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 4/2023

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Abstract

Purpose

Femoral bowing influences the genesis and management of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the femoral torsion angle (FTA) and femoral bowing angle (FBA) in a southern Chinese population. It was hypothesized that a greater FTA would lead to a greater lateral FBA.

Methods

A total of 381 lower extremities from 381 osteoarthritic patients (298 women, 83 men; 201 left, 180 right; mean age 66.5 ± 8.9 years) were retrospectively reviewed. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), side, height, femoral length (FL), hip–knee–ankle angle (HKA) and FTA were set as FBA-related factors. The three-dimensional (3D) FBA, the angle between the anatomical axis of the proximal femur and the anatomical axis of the distal femur in the plane they form, and its projection on the coronal (lateral FBA) and sagittal (anterior FBA) planes were measured on 3D computed tomography (CT) models. The correlation of the 3D, lateral and anterior FBAs with each of the FBA-related factors was explored using multiple linear regression analysis. The correlation between the FBA and FTA was explored and verified after using propensity score matching to control for the other FBA-related factors.

Results

The mean lateral and anterior FBAs were 5.5°, with 53.5% greater than 5°, and 12.7°, with 70.3% greater than 11°, respectively. 3D FBA was positively correlated with age (Std.Co = 0.113, P < 0.05) and HKA (Std.Co = 0.129, P < 0.05). Lateral FBA was positively correlated with age (Std.Co = 0.118, P < 0.05), female sex (Std.Co = 0.206, P < 0.05), HKA (Std.Co = 0.184, P < 0.05) and FL (Std.Co = 0.220, P < 0.05). Anterior FBA was positively correlated with age (Std.Co = 0.108, P < 0.05) and male sex (Std.Co = 0.108, P < 0.05). When the related factors were balanced between the two groups (NS), FTA did not significantly affect 3D FBA or anterior FBA (NS), while FTA was positively correlated with lateral FBA (Std.Co = 0.165, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

External torsion of the proximal femur increases the lateral FBA by twisting a partial anterior FBA into a lateral FBA, especially in the female population. If a patient is found to have a large lateral FBA preoperatively, one should be alert to the possibility of a concomitant large FTA, as there are implications for femoral orthopedics, TKA and patellofemoral pressure distribution.

Level of evidence

III.
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Metadata
Title
Proximal external femoral torsion increases lateral femoral shaft bowing: a study based on 3D CT reconstruction models
Authors
LiMing Liu
Kai Lei
Xin Chen
DeJie Fu
Pengfei Yang
Liu Yang
Lin Guo
Publication date
05-10-2021
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 4/2023
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-021-06753-y

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