A recent study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) found that 85 women who received a gender-specific implant in one knee and a standard prosthesis in the other knee found no clinical benefits of the gender-specific knee.
After receiving knee implants – one gender-specific and one standard prosthesis – the women were assessed for at least two years after surgery. The knees with the gender-specific implant and the knees with the standard implant had similar knee scores and similar range of motion while lying down (125 degrees for the knees with standard implants and 126 degrees for the knees with gender-specific implants). All patients except three were able to bend their knees at least 90 degrees.
Additionally, patient satisfaction with the implants was similar (8.3 points for the standard implants and 8.1 points for the gender-specific implants). A rating of 6 to 8 meant "satisfied," and a rating of 9 to 10 meant "fully satisfied."
The majority of women in the study (71 females or 84 percent) had no preference between the two implants, Overall, eight women (9 percent) preferred the standard prosthesis, while 7 percent preferred the gender-specific prosthesis.
(Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) [removed]Press Release[/removed])
