Distal femoral osteotomy for valgus deformity of the knee.

Distal femoral varus osteotomy and blade-plate fixation for valgus deformity of the knee proved effective in restoring axial alignment in 18 of 36 knees (34 patients). Patients were followed for an average of 5.4 years (range: 2 to 19 years). The osteotomies were performed on 14 men and 22 women (average age: 44 years; range: 14 to 77). The patients' average preoperative valgus deformity of the anatomical axis was 19.4 degrees (range: 8 degrees to 33 degrees). The surgical procedures performed were a medial closing wedge osteotomy (14 knees) and a lateral opening wedge osteotomy with bone grafting (22 knees). Postoperative correction of the anatomical axis averaged 3.8 degrees valgus (range: 8 degrees varus to 20 degrees valgus). Maximum improvement was reached within 6.3 months by patients who were less than 60 years old and within 5.1 months by patients who were more than 60 years old. Pain decreased or resolved in 21 of 35 knees (60%); activity level improved in 24 of 35 knees (69%). One patient was unavailable for follow up evaluation. Varus osteotomy in the distal femur was concluded to be an acceptable form of treatment in the valgus knee alone or associated with traumatic or osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment.     

Correction of knee deformity in patients with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome.

Six knees in three patients with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome were treated with lateral soft tissue release and corrective osteotomy of the tibia at 10 years of age on average. The main feature was valgus deformity with lateral dislocation of the patella. All patellae were reduced. The valgus deformity improved from 35 degrees (range, 48 degrees-20 degrees) to 17 degrees (range, 35 degrees-5 degrees) of the femorotibial angle (FTA) on average, although the FTA in five of six knees was < 5 degrees after surgery. There was one recurrent case and one transient peroneal nerve palsy. The reason for undercorrection was a depression of the lateral tibial plateau. The deformity of the articular surface is the most important problem in correcting the valgus deformity of the knee in this syndrome.     

Decrease of osteosclerosis in subchondral bone of medial compartmental osteoarthritic knee seven to nineteen years after high tibial valgus osteotomy

Osteosclerosis of the subchondral bone was measured by densitometer on plain radiographs in 55 medial compartmental osteoarthritic knees of 40 patients who were treated with high tibial valgus osteotomy for correction of varus deformity. The ratio of the osteosclerosis value of the medial side of the knee to that of the lateral side (Medial/Lateral ratio) was calculated and used as a parameter. The Medial/Lateral ratio of osteosclerosis decreased rapidly within three years after osteotomy at the reference points of the femur and the tibia. Even 7 to 19 years after osteotomy, a decrease of the ratio was noted in 16 knees with a standing femorotibial angle (FTA) less than 168 degrees (12 degrees of anatomical valgus angulation). This was interpreted to mean that osteosclerosis of the medial condyle decreased compared with that of the lateral condyle after overcorrection of varus deformity. In the cases of more than 7 years after high tibial osteotomy, a positive straight regression line was drawn by calculation between Medial/Lateral ratio and postoperative limb alignment expressed by standing femorotibial angle, with coefficient of correlation (gamma) of 0.295 (p < 0.01).     

股骨髁上截骨治疗中青年外翻性膝骨关节炎

目的:探讨股骨髁上外侧开放性楔形截骨治疗外翻性膝骨关节炎的临床疗效。方法:自2008年4月至2015年6月,对21例(23膝)符合纳入标准的外翻性膝骨关节炎患者,采取股骨外髁上开放性楔形截骨后自体髂骨植骨并股骨远端解剖钢板内固定的手术方式进行治疗。男8例(8膝),女13例(15膝),年龄30~54岁,平均41.2岁,所有患者伴有膝关节外侧间室疼痛及外翻畸形,术前通过下肢负重位全长X线测量出胫股角平均为(162.0±2.6)°。通过观察术后骨愈合时间、手术并发症,比较治疗前后膝关节炎进展情况、HSS评分及胫股角等,综合评价该手术方法治疗外翻性膝关节炎的效果。结果:所有患者术后膝关节外翻畸形得到矫正,骨愈合时间(3.9±1.5)个月,未发现明显延迟愈合或不愈合病例,无严重并发症发生。HSS膝关节总评分从术前的57.3±3.1提高到末次随访时的88.6±2.7。胫股角提高到术后的(176.0±1.4)°。结论:股骨髁上开放性楔形截骨解剖入路清晰,术中容易控制截骨量,能够有效矫正膝关节外翻畸形,同时改善膝关节功能,是治疗中青年外翻性膝骨关节炎的有效方法。     

Proximal tibial varus osteotomy. Indications, technique, and five to twenty-one-year results

BACKGROUND: Although high tibial osteotomy has been proved effective for the treatment of painful osteoarthritis of the medial compartment of the knee, the role of proximal tibial varus osteotomy for the treatment of painful osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment still remains controversial. METHODS: From 1974 to 1993, we performed proximal tibial varus osteotomy for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment of the knee in thirty-six consecutive patients. The procedure consisted of a proximal lateral opening-wedge varus osteotomy of the tibia with use of corticocancellous bone grafts from the iliac crest. The valgus deformity was posttraumatic in twenty-three patients, followed a lateral meniscectomy in five, was due to overcorrection of a varus deformity in four, and was idiopathic in four. The preoperative valgus deformity averaged 11.6 degrees (range, 4 degrees to 22 degrees ). RESULTS: At a mean of eleven years (range, five to twenty-one years) after the operation, the clinical results for thirty-four of the thirty-six patients were analyzed. None of the patients had severe progression of the osteoarthritis after the osteotomy, and none had a meaningful loss in the range of motion of the knee joint. A superficial wound infection developed in one patient, and another patient had thrombophlebitis. Three patients (9%) had a transient palsy of the peroneal nerve. According to the system of Insall et al., the mean knee score was 84 points (range, 54 to 99 points). According to the knee score described by Lysholm and Gillquist, the subjective result was excellent in nine patients (26%), good in twenty-one (62%), fair in three (9%), and poor in one (3%). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that when the indications outlined in this study are followed and our opening-wedge technique is used, a proximal lateral opening-wedge varus osteotomy of the tibia is a good alternative for the treatment of isolated osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment of the knee. High accuracy in preoperative planning, based on a slight overcorrection, is important to prevent failure.     

Surgical implications of varus deformity of the knee with obliquity of joint surfaces

Some arthritic knees with varus deformity show excessive valgus angulation of the femoral joint surface with proximal tibia vara. This causes a downward and medial inclination of the articular surfaces in the coronal plane. The patients we studied had a medial shift of the standing load-bearing axis, and arthritic changes mainly in the medial compartment. Some also had lateral tibial subluxation with twisting of the distal femur and proximal tibia in opposite directions. We assessed the articular geometry by precise radiographic analysis, and compared the results with those in normal volunteers and a group of osteoarthritic patients. The prevalence of this type of deformity in our osteoarthritic patients was 11.5%; its recognition allows the use of specific operative correction that may include double osteotomy or the precise orientation of prosthetic components.     

Lateral femoral sliding osteotomy lateral release in total knee arthroplasty for a fixed valgus deformity

We treated 13 patients who had a fixed valgus deformity of the knee with a semiconstrained total knee arthroplasty combined with advancement of the lateral collateral ligament by means of a lateral femoral condylar sliding osteotomy. At follow-up of between one and 6.5 years all patients were assessed using the Knee Society score. The mean knee score improved from 32 to 88 and the functional score from 45 to 73. The mean tibiofemoral angle was corrected from 191 degrees to 180 degrees. There was no postoperative tibiofemoral or patellar instability and, in most knees, distal transposition of the lateral femoral condyle achieved satisfactory stable alignment.     

Distal femoral varus osteotomy for valgus deformity of the knee

Twenty-four patients who had degenerative arthritis of the lateral compartment of the knee that was associated with a valgus deformity and a superolateral tilt of the joint line were treated by distal femoral varus osteotomy. A surgical technique that was designed to produce a horizontal joint line and a tibiofemoral angle of zero degrees is described. At an average length of follow-up of four years, twenty-two of twenty-four patients had a successful result as judged by our protocol for evaluation. One osteotomy had to be revised for failure of fixation, and one patient had a pulmonary embolism that had a satisfactory outcome after the administration of anticoagulants. One patient required manipulation of the knee at six months. The simple surgical technique that we used was effective in realigning the femoral with the tibial axis in patients who had a valgus deformity of the knee, a superolateral tilt of the joint line, and osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment.     

Distal femoral varus osteotomy in the valgus osteoarthritic knee

The results of 18 distal femoral varus osteotomies performed in 18 patients between 1982 and 1993 were evaluated. All patients had degenerative arthritis of the lateral compartment of the knee associated with a valgus deformity. At surgery, the average patient age was 54 years (range: 38-75 years). The average follow-up was 9 years (range: 5-16 years). The average tibiofemoral angle was 17.5 degrees of valgus preoperatively and 6 degrees postoperatively. Seventeen patients (1 patient died from an unrelated cause) were evaluated at follow-up according to the Knee Society rating system. At follow-up, 13 (77%) were rated as good or excellent by the Knee Society rating system. The Knee score improved from 54 points preoperatively to 89 points postoperatively. The functional score improved from 65 points preoperatively to 86 points postoperatively. One knee required a subsequent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) 5 years after osteotomy due to severe and persistent pain. No patient had infection or nonunion. Varus osteotomy of the distal femur is a reliable and effective surgical procedure for the treatment of gonarthrosis associated with valgus deformity in both young and older active patients, where it can be an alternative to TKA.     

Proximal tibial osteotomy for osteoarthritis with varus deformity. A ten to thirteen-year follow-up study

The results in ninety-three knees that had been treated by proximal tibial opening-wedge osteotomy for varus deformity and osteoarthritis of the medial compartment were evaluated after a mean length of follow-up of 11.5 years (range, ten to thirteen years). After ten years, only forty-two (45 per cent) of the ninety-three knees had an excellent or good result, and in fifty-one knees there was recurrent pain for which seventeen had another operation. At five years, on the other hand, 90 per cent of the knees had a good result. Deterioration occurred at an average of seven years after the osteotomy and was always associated with recurrence of pain. Although the results deteriorated with time, time was not the only determinant of the result. Alignment, measured as the hip-knee-ankle angle on radiographs of the whole limb that were made with the patient bearing weight, was also a determinant of long-term results. The best results were obtained in the twenty knees that had a hip-knee-ankle angle of 183 to 186 degrees. In these knees, there was no pain and no progression of the arthrosis in either the medial or the lateral tibiofemoral compartment. Of the five knees that had an angle of more than 186 degrees, all five had progressive degenerative changes in the lateral compartment. In the sixty-eight undercorrected knees (an angle of less than 183 degrees), the results were less satisfactory, and there was a tendency toward recurrence of the varus deformity and progression of the arthritis of the medial compartment. However, when the correction was insufficient the deterioration was slow (average, seven years), and it was not associated with lateral laxity and deterioration of the lateral compartment, which are the changes that characterize the natural course of gonarthrosis as described by Hernborg and Nilsson. Therefore, proximal tibial osteotomy is a very suitable operation for patients who have gonarthrosis of the medial compartment, but a rigidly standardized and precise operative technique is required as well as accurate radiographic measurements of the mechanical axis of the limb, because exact postoperative alignment is the prerequisite for the longest possible period of relief of symptoms after osteotomy.     

Walking ability after treatment of the knee osteoarthritis with OSTEO+ system]

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the walking ability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee before and after opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy with use of OSTEO+ system. From 2002 to 2005 thirty medial opening-wedge tibial osteotomies were performed in thirty patients. Patients with varus knee deformity and moderate degenerative changes of the knee were chosen for the procedure. A medial transverse osteotomy was performed proximal to the tibial tuberosity. The medial side of the osteotomy site was opened to the desired angle of correction. The opened osteotomy site was fixed with OSTEO+ system with no bone graft used. The goal was to achieve a final standing alignment of 5 degrees of anatomical valgus angulation. We assessed the patients with The Knee Score and The Functional Score before and after the procedure. The average follow-up was 2 years. All patients had pain relief and improvement in walking ability after the osteotomy. There were no cases of recurrence of varus deformity.     

Posttraumatic tibia valga in children. A long-term follow-up note.

BACKGROUND: We reevaluated seven patients who initially had been managed nonoperatively because of a progressive valgus deformity that had occurred within approximately twelve months after satisfactory healing of a proximal tibial metaphyseal fracture sustained at an average age of four years (range, eleven months to six years and four months). All seven patients were described in a previous report from our institution, published in 1986. In that report, spontaneous improvement of the angulation was documented after an average duration of follow-up of thirty-nine months and nonoperative treatment of the deformity was recommended. METHODS: The patients were followed radiographically for an average of fifteen years and three months (range, ten years and four months to nineteen years and eleven months) after the injury. The radiographs were reviewed to determine the metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle, the mechanical tibiofemoral angle, the proximal and distal tibial remodeling angles, the limb-length discrepancy, and the deviation of the mechanical axis of the limb from the center of the knee joint. Knee function was assessed with use of the rating system of the Cincinnati Sportsmedicine and Orthopaedic Center, and ankle function was assessed with use of the rating system of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. RESULTS: Every patient had spontaneous improvement of the metaphyseal-diaphyseal and mechanical tibiofemoral angles. Most of the correction occurred at the proximal part of the tibia. The mechanical axis of the limb remained lateral to the center of the knee joint in every patient, with an average deviation of fifteen millimeters (range, three to twenty-four millimeters). The affected tibia was longer than the contralateral tibia in every patient, with an average limb-length discrepancy of nine millimeters (range, three to eighteen millimeters). The knee score on the affected side was excellent for five patients and fair for two; one of the patients who had a fair score had had a tibial osteotomy at the age of sixteen years because of pain in the lateral aspect of the knee that was thought to be due to malalignment. The ankle score on the affected side was excellent for three patients and good for four. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous improvement of the deformity occurred in all patients and resulted in a clinically well aligned, asymptomatic limb in most. We believe that patients who have posttraumatic tibia valga should be followed through skeletal maturity and that operative intervention should be reserved for patients who have symptoms secondary to malalignment.     

Infantile tibia vara: Treatment of Langenskiold stage IV

An eight year old girl presented with a progressively increasing deformity of the left proximal tibia since last 2 years. She had no history of trauma, fever and swelling of left knee. There were no obvious signs of rickets/muscular dystrophy. She had 25 degrees of tibia vara clinically with lateral thrust and a prominent fibular head. The radiograph of left knee revealed tibia vara with medial beaking and a significant depression of the medial tibial epiphysis and metaphysis. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed significant depression of the medial tibial epiphysis but no bony bar in the physis or fusion of the medical tibial epiphysis. There was a posterior slope in addition to the medial one. She was treated with elevation of the medial tibial hemiplateau with subtuberosity valgus derotation dome osteotomy. She also underwent a lateral proximal tibial hemiphysiodesis (temporary stapling). A prophylactic subcutaneons anterolateral compartment fasciotomy was also performed. All osteotomies united in 2 months. All deformities were corrected and she regained a knee range of 0 to 130 degrees. At final followup (4 years), there was no recurrence of varus deformity, knee was stable, with 1cm of leg length discrepancy. In Langenskiold stage IV tibia vara, elevation of medial tibial plateau, a subtuberosity valgus derotation osteotomy and a concomitant lateral hemiephiphysiodesis has given good results.     

The effect of simulated fracture-angulations of the tibia on cartilage pressures in the knee joint

The effects of angular deformities of the tibia on the contact areas and pressures on cartilage in the knee were measured with use of pressure-sensitive film. Six cadaver knees were mounted in a test-frame, such that the offset and tilt of the knee relative to the load-axis simulated that due to angular deformities of the tibia of 5, 10, 15, or 20 degrees of varus or valgus at the levels of the proximal, middle, and distal thirds. Angulation had little effect on the contact area. The change in pressure was least for fractures of the distal third and greatest for fractures of the proximal third. For example, a 20-degree angulation of the distal third increased the maximum contact pressure by an average of 26 per cent in the compartment toward the load-axis and reduced it by 32 per cent in the opposite compartment. With an angulation of 20 degrees at the level of the proximal third of the tibia, the increase in pressure averaged 106 per cent and the decrease averaged 89 per cent. The changes in pressure with fractures at the middle third were between these extremes.     

Taylor空间支架矫正创伤后膝内、外翻畸形

  目的 探讨Taylor空间支架（Taylor Spatial Frame, TSF）矫正创伤后膝内、外翻畸形的临床疗效和精确度。方法 回顾性分析2006年6月至2010年12月,采用TSF矫正26例创伤后膝内、外翻畸形患者的病例,男19例,女7例;年龄19～62岁,平均39岁;创伤后膝内翻畸形20例,膝外翻畸形6例。21例行胫骨高位截骨,3例行股骨髁上截骨,2例同时行股骨髁上和胫骨高位截骨。安装TSF、测量支架的安装参数后截骨。术后7～10 d,根据电子处方,每天3次调节TSF支架上的可伸缩螺杆的长度,调节范围为0～3 mm。结果 经过7～35 d调节,20例畸形得到一次性完全矫正,患肢的胫骨、股骨力线恢复,肢体的成角、旋转和短缩畸形均得到矫正。6例尚残存轻微成角和短缩畸形,经第二次4～10 d的支架调整,畸形矫正。截骨处新骨生成和矿化良好,术后2.5～6.0个月去除外固定架。术后随访12～60个月,畸形无复发。术后11例发生针道感染,经应用敏感抗生素治疗,感染控制。1例去除外固定架后1.5个月发生股骨远端截骨处再骨折,经保守治疗骨折愈合。无一例患者发生血管神经损伤和继发性马蹄足畸形。结论 TSF矫正创伤后膝内、外翻畸形疗效确切,精确度高。     

The inwardly pointing knee. An unrecognized problem of external rotational malalignment

Twelve patients with inwardly pointing knees had chronic knee pain and disability suggestive of patellofemoral subluxation. None had responded well to conservative measures or surgical correction at the level of the soft tissues. Their pattern of limb alignment was studied roentgenographically and was found to differ significantly from the control group of 49 healthy young adults. The deformities primarily related to the tibia were external tibial torsion, excess varus angulation of the tibial plateau, and varus knees. Angulation of the femoral condyles was normal and femoral anteversion did not appear to contribute significantly to the deformity. Surgery in seven cases (nine knees) was by derotation valgus Maquet osteotomy of the tibia and lateral release realignment of the patellae. Outcome assessments after a three-year follow-up period (five knees) were excellent. Early results on the remaining cases were satisfactory.     

Opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy to treat osteoarthritis of the knee with use of OSTEO+ system--initial report]

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the usefulness of OSTEO+ (Implants Industrie) system in opening-wedge tibial valgus osteotomy in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. From 2002 to 2003 ten medial opening-wedge tibial osteotomies were performed in ten patients. Patients with varus knee deformity and mild or moderate degenerative changes of the knee were chosen for the procedure. A medial transverse osteotomy was performed proximal to the tibial tuberosity. The medial side of the osteotomy site was opened to the desired angle of correction. The opened osteotomy site was fixed with OSTEO+ system with no bone graft used. The goal was to achieve a final standing alignment of 0 to 5 degrees of anatomical valgus angulation. The average duration of clinical and radiological follow-up was 6 months (range, four to eight months). All patients had paro relief and improvement in walking ability after the osteotomy. There were no cases of recurrence of varus deformity.     

Opening wedge tibial osteotomy for large varus deformity with CeraverTM resorbable beta tricalcium phosphate wedges

The results in 53 knees that had been treated by proximal tibial opening-wedge osteotomy for large varus deformity and osteoarthritis of the medial compartment were evaluated after a mean length of follow-up of ten years (range, 8–12 years). We used a porous beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) wedge because it is resorbable and osteoinductive. All osteotomies were completely consolidated and complete osseointegration of the remnant of the β-TCP wedge took place. However, after a mean maximum follow-up of ten years none of the cases showed complete resorption. After ten years, 40 (81%) of the 53 knees had an excellent or good result, and in 13 knees there was recurrent pain for which six had an arthroplasty. Although the results deteriorated with time, time was not the only determinant of the result. Alignment, measured as the hip-knee-ankle angle on radiographs of the whole limb that were made with the patient bearing weight, was also a determinant of long-term results. The best results were obtained in the knees that had a hip-knee-ankle angle of 183–186 degrees. In these knees, there was no pain and no progression of the arthrosis in either the medial or the lateral tibiofemoral compartment. Of the three knees that had an angle of more than 186 degrees, all five had progressive degenerative changes in the lateral compartment. In the undercorrected knees (an angle of less than 183 degrees), the results were less satisfactory, and there was a tendency toward recurrence of the varus deformity and progression of the arthritis of the medial compartment. However, when the correction was insufficient the deterioration was slow. Therefore, proximal tibial osteotomy is a very suitable operation even for patients who have gonarthrosis of the medial compartment and a large varus deformity. Although, a rigidly standardised and precise operative technique is required as well as accurate radiographic measurements of the mechanical axis of the limb because exact postoperative alignment is the prerequisite for the longest possible period of relief of symptoms after osteotomy, and this exact alignment is difficult to obtain for patients with large varus deformity.     

Long-term results of valgus tibial osteotomy

Valgus tibial osteotomy is a well-recognized procedure for medial compartment arthritis of the knee. The femorotibial angle must be adequately realigned; most unsatisfactory outcomes result from undercorrection. This study of 27 patients (38 knees) with a valgus tibial osteotomy for unicompartmental arthritis of the knee emphasizes the importance of correct alignment. Alignment outside the acceptable range did accelerate deterioration in these patients, followed for an average of 53 months. In 25 of the 38 knees (66%) results were good to excellent. An alignment of 6 degrees or more of valgus produced an excellent to good result in 21 of 23 knees (91%). Alignment of less than 6 degrees of valgus yielded excellent to good results in 4 of 15 knees (27%). Although at the end of one year, 31 of the 38 knees were rated as excellent to good, these knees progressively deteriorated. The knees in 6 degrees or more of valgus seldom deteriorated while those in less than 6 degrees of valgus deteriorated more frequently. A valgus tibial osteotomy is an excellent procedure provided the tibiofemoral angle is realigned to 6 degrees or more of valgus.