The bowing of the femur defines a curvature plane to which the proximal and distal femoral anatomic landmarks have a predictable interrelationship. This plane can be a helpful adjunct for computer navigation to define the pre-operative, non-diseased anatomy of the femur and more particularly the rotational alignment of the femoral component in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). There is very limited knowledge with regards to the sagittal curvature -or bowing- of the femur. It was our aim (1) to determine the most accurate assessment technique to define the femoral bowing, (2) to define the relationships of the curvature plane relative to proximal and distal anatomic landmarks and (3) to assess the position of femoral components of a TKA relative to the femoral bowing.Summary sentence
Background and aims