Results of high tibial osteotomy in treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee

ABSTRACT

Thirty two high tibial osteotomies [HTOs] were performed in 26 patients for osteoarthritis [OA] of the medial compartment of the knee joint. There were 20 male and 6 female patients. The mean age of the patients was 45.4 years. Their mean weight was 77 kg. The osteotomy was fixed with staples in 20 knees and T-buttress plate in 12 knees. The mean follow-up peroid was 40 months. Results were excellent and good in 72%, fair in 19% and poor in 9% of cases. The age of the patients, their weights, and the postoperative valgus alignment significantly affected the results [P<0.001]. The method of fixation of the osteotomy and the pre-operative varus deformity did not significantly affect the results [P>0.05]. Postoperatively, most of heavy manual workers [83%] could return to their original job and other patients could participate in sport activities. Post-operative complications included infection in 4 cases, non-union at the osteotomy site in one case, and lateral popliteal nerve palsy in one case. High tibial osteotomy is an appropriate procedure/or medial monocompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee in patients younger than 50 years old with varus angulation and within the average weight. Post-operative valgus alignment of 8 degrees and probably not more than 13 degrees is the goal