PREDICTION OF THE FEMORAL NECK-SHAFT ANGLE FROM THE LENGTH OF THE FEMORAL-NECK

A total of 171 adult South Indian femoral devoid of gross pathology, a re used io measure the neck-shaft angle, length of the neck, intertroc hanteric apical axis length, maximum vertical diameter of the head, ki nematic radius, and maximum femoral length. The neck-shaft angle range s from 120 degrees to 136 degrees with a mean of 126.7 degrees and no significant side difference. The angle significantly and positively co rrelates with neck length, intertrochanteric apical axis length, kinem atic radius, and minimum femoral length (P < 0.001) but not with the v ertical diameter of the head. Regression equations for the neck-shaft angle against the correlated parameters are derived bur only that agai nst the length of the neck is strongly significant. From those correla tions, 1) the neck-shaft angle can be estimated from a proximal femora l fragment, and 2) the required size of the length of the neck can be determined to design prostheses for the restoration of normal neck-sha ft angle. Further, any estimated defective angle can be of help for fo rensic identification of an individual with pathological changes leadi ng to an abnormal gait. Clin. Anat. 10:318-323, 1997. (C) 1997 Wiley-L iss, Inc.