High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an established surgical treatment for medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). Several studies have reported the deterioration of clinical results with time, especially after more than 10 years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results after HTO using our originally developed fixation method and to clarify the factors affecting the long-term clinical outcome.
Sixty-eight HTO treatments in 55 patients were evaluated. Eighteen patients were unable to be analyzed, thus reducing the study to 48 knees in 37 patients. The follow-up rate of the knee joint was 70.6% and the mean follow-up period was 17.1 years. The first evaluation was performed at a mean of 6.5 years postoperatively, and the most recent evaluation was done at more than 10 years postoperative follow-up. A closing-wedge osteotomy was performed, and the osteotomy site was fixed with two threaded pins and a figure-of-eight wiring technique. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association knee rating score (JOA score) was used for the clinical assessment. The change of the femorotibial angle (FTA) and progression of knee OA were radiographically analyzed. The whole knees were subsequently divided into two groups, satisfactory group and unsatisfactory group, according to the JOA score at the most recent follow-up.
The mean JOA score was 59.1 before HTO and 83.1 at the most recent evaluation. In comparing the satisfactory and unsatisfactory groups, the JOA score before HTO was the same, but the JOA score of the unsatisfactory group was significantly lower at the first evaluation. The FTA in the unsatisfactory group was the same as in the satisfactory group preoperatively, but it was significantly larger after HTO. The radiographic OA was significantly progressed at the most recent evaluation, but no difference was observed in the distribution of the preoperative OA grade between the two groups.
HTO with two threaded pins and figure-of-eight wiring fixation showed an acceptable clinical outcome, but careful attention was needed for correction loss in early postoperative periods. In addition, the proper correction angle is necessary in order to achieve satisfactory long-term results.