Distal femoral phenotypes in Asian varus osteoarthritic knees

Purpose

There has been a general consensus regarding the varus phenotype of the proximal tibia in osteoarthritic patients with varus knee alignment of the whole limb. However, a valgus phenotype of the distal femur may occur in osteoarthritic patients with varus knee alignment. This study evaluated the distal femur phenotype in varus osteoarthritic knees.

Methods

This study included 128 patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by computer-assisted navigation for primary medial osteoarthrosis with varus knee alignment. The hip–knee–ankle (HKA) angle, medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), and joint line convergence angle (JLCA) were measured on which radiographs preoperatively. The radiographic parameters were compared between groups with HKA angle varus ≥ 10° and < 10°.

Results

The MPTA was significantly lower (4°) in the HKA angle varus ≥ 10° group than in the < 10° group (82.13° vs. 86.13° P = 0.001), but the LDFA did not differ significantly between the groups (89.81° vs. 89.19° P = 0.181). Regarding the JLCA, the varus ≥ 10° group showed a 1.3° greater lateral widening than the varus < 10° group (4.87 vs. 3.56, P = 0.002). The MPTA was the only independent predictor of the MA of the lower limb (β =  −  0.353, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

One-third of varus osteoarthritic knees had a distal femur valgus phenotype. Varus knee alignment was mainly affected by proximal tibia varus rather than by distal femur varus.

Level of evidence

Level III, consecutive case series