Long-term evaluation of high tibial osteotomy for varus gonarthrosis

ABSTRACT

The results in thirty-eight patients [fifty knees who had a high tibial osteotomy [of any kind] were evaluated for varus gonarthrosis [ostcoarthritis or osteonecrosis]. The operations were performed between January 1982 and June 1984. The mean length of follow was 6.7 years [range, five to seven and half years]. The early results were promising at two years 89.56% of the knees had either an excellent or a good result. At subsequent follow-up at five year, the percentage of excellent and good results was deteriorated to [65%]. However at the end of follow-up, at five year the percentage of excellent and good results was deteriorated to [65%].However at the end of follow-up period only 25 knees [52%] had an excellent or good results and in the remainder recurrent pain had developed. The alignment obtained by the osteotomy was not as important in determining the long term results as it was previously believed. Although recurrent varus deformity was observed in more than one-quarter of the knees. It was not necessarily associated with all unsatisfactory result: