High Tibial Valgus Osteotomy and Functional Outcome

Background: This is a case series of 76 knees of 62 patients who underwent upper tibial valgus osteotomy for treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis during a 20-year period and who were followed for a mean of 7.6 years. Methods: The patients were evaluated by validated outcome assessment systems of general health status short form (SF-36), the Western Ontario McMaster osteoarthritis index (WOMAC), McMaster Toronto arthritis patient preference questionnaire (MACTAR) and also knee society clinical rating system (KSS). Two control groups—one consisting of 60 patients with similar age with osteoarthritis who had not received any surgical treatment and another 60 patients who had received knee replacement for osteoarthritis—were also studied. The results were compared among these three groups. Results/Conclusion: Tibial osteotomy caused improvement in SF-36 and WOMAC scores compared to the non-operated control group, but it did not do so when it was compared with knee arthroplasty. The mean±SD KSS was 103.37±12.19 with a failure rate (defined as candidacy for knee arthroplasty) of 28.94%. Improvement in patients’ pain level, social activity, housework activities and self-esteem was observed. Stair navigation, surface walking, getting on and off a car were not significantly better than the non-operated group