Purpose
To evaluate the serial changes in the joint space width (JSW) of the medial and lateral
compartments after medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) and its associated
factors.
Methods
The medial and lateral weight-bearing JSWs were measured on serial radiographs and
analyzed preoperatively and postoperatively within 2 weeks, as well as at 3 months,
6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Associations between the medial and lateral JSWs and
age, body mass index, mechanical axis, correction angle, lateral distal femoral angle,
medial proximal tibial angle, joint line convergence angle (JLCA), JLCA on stress
radiographs, and arthroscopic cartilage status were examined. Clinical outcome was
measured according to the Knee Society objective and functional scores.
Results
Seventy-one patients who underwent MOWHTO with locking-plate fixation were analyzed.
The respective mean medial and lateral JSWs on serial radiographs were as follows:
3.08 mm and 5.14 mm preoperatively, 3.10 mm and 4.63 mm postoperatively, 3.37 mm and
4.57 mm at 3 months, 3.40 mm and 4.59 mm at 6 months, 3.44 mm and 4.57 mm at 1 year,
and 3.42 mm and 4.64 mm at 2 years. At 3 months, the medial JSW increased (P < .001), whereas the lateral JSW decreased immediately (P < .001). JSW showed no significant differences at other time points. Preoperative
and postoperative JLCAs and medial femoral and tibial cartilage grades were associated
with medial JSW changes (P = .021). However, no significant parameters were associated with decreases in the
lateral JSW (P > .05). The postoperative Knee Society objective and functional scores improved and
were maintained.
Conclusions
After MOWHTO, the medial JSW increased at 3 months postoperatively and the lateral
JSW decreased immediately. The preoperative and postoperative JLCAs and the medial
femoral and tibial cartilage grades were associated with the change in the medial
JSW. However, no significant parameters were associated with the decrease in the lateral
JSW.
Level of Evidence
Level IV, case series of therapeutic study.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to ArthroscopyAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Effect of high tibial flexion osteotomy on cartilage pressure and joint kinematics: A biomechanical study in human cadaveric knees. Winner of the AGA-DonJoy Award 2004.Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2004; 124: 575-584
- The effects of valgus medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy on articular cartilage pressure of the knee: A biomechanical study.Arthroscopy. 2007; 23: 852-861
- Hinge fractures are underestimated on plain radiographs after open wedge proximal tibial osteotomy: Evaluation by computed tomography.Am J Sports Med. 2019; 47: 1370-1375
- Open wedge high tibial osteotomy and combined arthroscopic surgery in severe medial osteoarthritis and varus malalignment: Minimum 5-year results.Knee Surg Relat Res. 2016; 28: 270-276
- Outcome after treatment of osteoarthritis with open-wedge high-tibial osteotomy with a plate: 2-Year results of a Japanese cohort study.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2019; 28 (2309499019887997)
- Biomechanics of high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2013; 21: 197-205
- Factors affecting cartilage repair after medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017; 25: 779-784
- The effect of high tibial osteotomy on osteoarthritis of the knee: An arthroscopic study of 54 knee joints.Orthop Clin North Am. 1979; 10: 585-608
- Knee joint distraction compared with high tibial osteotomy: A randomized controlled trial.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017; 25: 876-886
- Serial changes in the joint space width and joint line convergence angle after closed-wedge high tibial osteotomy.Am J Sports Med. 2017; 45: 3254-3261
- What is an acceptable limit of joint-line obliquity after medial open wedge high tibial osteotomy? Analysis based on midterm results.Am J Sports Med. 2020; 48: 3028-3035
- Proximal tibial osteotomy: A new fixation device.Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1989; 246: 250-259
- Effect of soft tissue laxity of the knee joint on limb alignment correction in open-wedge high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2016; 24: 3704-3712
- Long-term outcomes of meniscal allograft transplantation with and without extrusion: Mean 12.3-year follow-up study.Am J Sports Med. 2019; 47: 815-821
- Increased preoperative medial and lateral laxity is a predictor of overcorrection in open wedge high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020; 28: 3164-3172
- Absolute meniscal extrusion after lateral meniscal allograft transplantation does not progress during long-term follow-up: Average of 10.3 years’ follow-up longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study.Am J Sports Med. 2020; 48: 326-333
- Articular cartilage degenerates after subtotal/total lateral meniscectomy but radiographic arthrosis progression is reduced after meniscal transplantation.Am J Sports Med. 2016; 44: 159-165
- Satisfactory long-term survival, functional and radiological outcomes of open-wedge high tibial osteotomy for managing knee osteoarthritis: Minimum 10-year follow-up study.J Orthop Translat. 2020; 26: 60-66
- Research pearls: The significance of statistics and perils of pooling. Part 1: Clinical versus statistical significance.Arthroscopy. 2017; 33: 1102-1112
- Evaluation of the "Minimal Clinically Important Difference" (MCID) of the KOOS, KSS and SF-12 scores after open-wedge high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2021; 29: 820-826
- Articular cartilage changes in patients with osteoarthritis after osteotomy.Am J Sports Med. 2011; 39: 1039-1045
- Digital planning of high tibial osteotomy: Interrater reliability by using two different software.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2013; 21: 189-196
- High tibial osteotomy in the ACL-deficient knee with medial compartment osteoarthritis.J Orthop Traumatol. 2016; 17: 277-285
- Analysis of knee joint line obliquity after high tibial osteotomy.J Knee Surg. 2016; 29: 649-657
- Accelerated degeneration of the discoid lateral meniscus after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2015; 23: 97-103
- High tibial osteotomy accelerates lateral compartment osteoarthritis in discoid meniscus patients.Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2018; 26: 1845-1850
- Conversion total knee arthroplasty after failed high tibial osteotomy.Knee Surg Relat Res. 2016; 28: 89-98
Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 29, 2021
Accepted:
April 8,
2021
Received:
September 7,
2020
Footnotes
See commentary on page 3324
The authors report the following potential conflicts of interest or sources of funding: This study was supported by a research grant from Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital. Full ICMJE author disclosure forms are available for this article online, as supplementary material.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 by the Arthroscopy Association of North America
