Gender-specific total knee arthroplasty in Singaporean women

Abstract

Purpose. To compare the outcome of 145 women who underwent conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with 77 women who underwent genderspecific TKA. Methods. Records of 222 women who underwent primary TKA using a conventional (n=145) or genderspecific (n=77) size E or F prosthesis for end-stage osteoarthritis were reviewed. The gender-specific prosthesis has a narrower mediolateral dimension. Patients were assessed for flexion, Oxford Knee Score, Knee Society function and knee scores, and Short Form–36 Health Survey preoperatively and postoperatively (at 6 months and 2 years). Results. The 2 groups were comparable in terms of age (67.8 vs. 68.1 years, p=0.789), body mass index (28.6 vs. 27.8 kg/m2, p=0.189), and preoperative scores. 12 women with conventional TKA and 4 women with gender-specific TKA were lost to followup. Compared with women with conventional TKA, women with gender-specific TKA had better flexion at 6 months (116° vs. 121.9°, p=0.007) and 2 years (118.7° vs. 124.6°, p=0.006), better bodily pain score at 2 years (65.1 vs. 72.4, p=0.049), and greater improvement in bodily pain score from baseline to 2 years (30 vs. 38.5, p=0.034). Conclusion. Gender-specific TKA enables better knee flexion and less bodily pain in women who have a high propensity to develop mediolateral overhang of the femoral component.