To investigate the effect of drilling decompression of the proximal tibia for the Osteoarthritis of the Knee.
The drilling decompression of the proximal tibia were performed in 21 patients (38 knees) of osteoarthritis with 99mTc-MDP scintingraphy and the intraosseous phlebography made pre-postoperatively. Knee function scores and scales were evaluated.
During 6-12 months follow-up, the preoperative score of the knee function was 18-48 (average 30.78) and the postoperative score was 61-96 (average 87.95); the rates of fair and good of knee scales rose from 5% preoperatively to 86.84% postoperatively.
Drilling decompression of the proximal tibia is a simple, safe, less traumatic and effective method to relieve the pain and improve the function for the early osteroarthritis of knee, For late cases it is a method to relieve pain. 99mTc-MDP scintingraphy can be used as a method to diagnose the early stage of the osteoarthritis.