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Association of the joint line orientation angle of the contralateral limb with the alignment change of the unilateral and bilateral opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate and compare unilateral and bilateral open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) using mid-term serial assessment of clinical and radiological outcomes, especially focussing on coronal lower extremity alignment.

Methods

Serial radiological assessments were performed in 40 patients (80 knees) with bilateral OWHTO and 49 patients (49 knees) with unilateral OWHTO. Both groups were further divided into four subgroups to compare each limb (unilateral involved and non-involved limbs and bilateral primarily and secondarily treated limbs). Radiological and clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared among the four groups. For the alignment change assessment, the pelvic tilt angle (PTA), weight-bearing line ratio (WBLR), joint line orientation angle (JLOA), medial proximal tibia angle (MPTA), joint line convergence angle (JLCA), distal tibia articular angle (DTAA), and talar inclination (TI) were measured pre- and postoperatively at 3, 6, and 12 months and annually thereafter. Student’s t-test, one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, and correlation analysis were used to compare the groups.

Results

Patients in the unilateral and bilateral OWHTO groups had similar postoperative radiological and clinical outcomes. Each unilaterally involved limb and primarily treated bilaterally involved limb were negatively affected by the contralateral limb with respect to increased JLOA during the postoperative period (unilateral OWHTO group: r = −0.350, p = 0.023; bilateral OWHTO group: r = −0.520, p = 0.005). The correction change of the ankle parameters in the secondarily treated limb showed greater varus alignment than the primarily treated limb after bilateral OWHTO (DTAA (0.1 ± 3.0 vs. –0.5 ± 3.8°, p = 0.014) and TI (0.9 ± 3.2° vs. –0.3 ± 2.9, p = 0.001)).

Conclusion

Unilateral and bilateral OWHTOs shared similar postoperative radiological and clinical outcomes. Alignment changes of the unilateral OWHTO and the primarily treated limb of the bilateral OWHTO were associated with the JLOA of the contralateral limb.

Level of evidence

Cohort study; Level III.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT) No.2021R1A2C1092657.

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  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 166 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-707, South Korea

    Sung Bae Park & Yong Seuk Lee

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Correspondence to Yong Seuk Lee.

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Park, S.B., Lee, Y.S. Association of the joint line orientation angle of the contralateral limb with the alignment change of the unilateral and bilateral opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 31, 1593–1602 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-022-07123-y

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