A Morphometric Study of the Adult Distal Femur in the South Indian Population

Introduction The most vital joint for locomotion is the knee joint, which is a condylar, modified hinge joint. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease commonly affecting the knee joint, which can be successfully treated by joint replacement surgeries wherein the condyles of the affected knee joints are replaced based on the measurement of the condyles for which the accurate morphometric values of the tibia and femur play an important role thereby decreasing the complications post-surgery and improving the mobility and quality of life of patients. Aim The present study aims to evaluate the morphometric data of femoral condyles and compare the morphometric data of the left and right femurs using the direct method. Materials and methods One hundred femoral condyles of unidentified sex were used for the measurement in the study. Medial condylar anteroposterior distance (MCAPD), lateral condylar anteroposterior distance (LCAP), bicondylar width (BCW), medial condylar transverse distance (MCTD), lateral condylar transverse distance (LCTD), and intercondylar notch width (ICNW) were measured by Vernier Calliper and the values between the left and right femurs were compared. Results The mean MCAPD is 56.88 mm, the mean LCAP is 57.72 mm, the mean BCW is 72.22 mm, the mean MCTD is 22.88 mm, the mean LCTD is 22.99 mm, and the mean ICNW is 21.58 mm, respectively. Conclusion The morphometric data obtained by direct measurement using Vernier Callipers is more accurate than indirect measurements which in turn aid biomedical engineers in designing more accurate and apt prostheses for knee replacement surgeries which in turn decrease the post-surgical complications and result in better outcomes due to surgery.