With greater numbers of younger patients undergoing
total hip replacement (THR), the effect of patient age on the diameter
of the femoral canal may become more relevant. This study aimed
to investigate the relationship between the diameter of the diaphysis
of the femoral canal with increasing age in a large number of patients
who underwent THR. A total of 1685 patients scheduled for THR had
their femoral dimensions recorded from calibrated radiographs. There
were 736 males and 949 females with mean ages of 67.1 years (34
to 92) and 70.2 years (29 to 92), respectively. The mean diameter
of the femoral canal was 13.3 mm (8.0 to 23.0) for males and 12.7
mm (6.0 to 26.0) for females. There was a poor correlation between
age and the diameter of the canal in males (r = 0.071, p = 0.05)
but a stronger correlation in females (r = 0.31, p <
0.001). The diameter of the femoral canal diameter of a female patient
undergoing THR could be predicted to increase by 3.2 mm between
the ages of 40 and 80 years, in contrast a male would be expected
to experience only a 0.6 mm increase during the same period. This
increase in the diameter of the canal with age might affect the
long-term survival of the femoral component in female patients. Cite this article:
