The anatomical pattern of gonarthrosis in Saudi Arabia.

Fifty patients in Saudi Arabia with primary gonarthrosis were randomly selected in order to study the anatomical pattern of the disease. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were taken with the patients nonweight-bearing and weight-bearing; axial projections of the patello-femoral joint were also taken. Involvement of more than one compartment was significantly more common than it was in a Swedish series. The patello-femoral joint was affected in 80% compared with 48% of the Swedish knees. Different living habits are suggested as a contributory cause for the different patterns of gonarthrosis in the two countries.