Osteometry of the femora in Turkish individuals: a morphometric study in 114 cadaveric femora as an anatomic basis of femoral component design

Abstract

Objectives: Clinical and experimental studies of total hip arthroplasty have demonstrated that a close geometric fit between the femoral component and supporting bone is essential for durable implant fixation. Long-term success of total hip prostheses depends on appreciation of the proximal femur anatomy and identification of mean reference values of critical landmarks. Current data on dimensions of prostheses and implantation are based on osteometric measurements of the femora in Western populations. This study was designed to evaluate osteometric features of femora in Turkish individuals and to establish a national database for future studies.
Methods: We conducted morphometric measurements of proximal femoral anatomy and its angular configuration on conventional radiograms of 114 cadaveric adult femora of Turkish individuals who did not have any developmental bone abnormality. Measurements were made according to the parameters defined by Noble et al. For comparison, we used morphometric data reported on Western populations by the same investigators.
Results: Several femoral features were found to be different in Turkish individuals. Although femur head size and offset were similar to Western values, Turkish subjects had a higher femoral head due to valgus position of the femoral head-neck angle, a narrower proximal femoral metaphysis, and a narrower medullary canal with a longer isthmic segment.
Conclusion: Our data revealed diverse features of femoral geometry in Turkish individuals compared to Western populations. These differences should be taken into account in the design and development of hip prostheses.