Editorial Commentary: High Tibial Osteotomy Is Effective, Even in Patients With Severe Osteoarthritis: Contradiction of Another Dogma From the Past

Unicompartmental osteoarthritis: High survival rate with a combined mechanical and biological salvage approach as alternative to metal resurfacing: Results at minimum 10 years of follow-up

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the long-term clinical results and failure rate of patients treated with complex salvage procedures using a combined mechanical and biological approach to address unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis (OA) and postpone the need for joint replacement.

METHODS

Thirty-nine patients (40.3 ± 10.9 years old) affected by unicompartmental OA (Kellgren-Lawrence 3) in stable joints underwent a personalized surgical treatment depending on the specific requirements of the affected compartment, including high tibial osteotomy, osteochondral scaffold, meniscal scaffold and meniscal allograft transplantation. Patients were evaluated with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Tegner scores before surgery, at 3 years and a minimum of 10 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

A significant improvement was observed over time in all scores but worsened at the final follow-up. The IKDC subjective score improved from 46.9 ± 16.2 to 79.8 ± 16.4 at 3 years (p < 0.0005) and then decreased to 64.5 ± 21.4 (p = 0.001) at 12 years. A similar trend was confirmed for VAS and Tegner scores. Only two patients subsequently underwent knee arthroplasty, and nine more patients were considered clinical failure, for a cumulative surgical and clinical failure rate of 28.2% at the final follow-up.

CONCLUSION

A personalized, joint-preserving, combined mechanical and biological approach, addressing alignment as well as meniscal and cartilage lesions, is safe and effective, providing a clinical benefit and delaying the need for arthroplasty in young patients affected by unicompartmental knee OA. At the final evaluation, the clinical improvement decreased, but more than two-thirds of the patients still benefited from this treatment at a long-term follow-up.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV case series.

High survivorship rate and good clinical outcomes after high tibial osteotomy in patients with radiological advanced medial knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

The role of valgus producing high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for the treatment of advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA) is still controversial. The aim of the current systematic review was to assess survivorship and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) of high tibial osteotomy in patients with radiological advanced medial knee OA.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE database was performed in July 2023 in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identify studies investigating the survivorship rate and PROMs of valgus-producing high tibial osteotomy in patients with advanced knee OA at x-ray assessment in the medial compartment at minimum-two-years follow up. Advanced radiological OA was defined as Kellgren Lawrence (K-L) ≥ 3 or Ahlbäch ≥ 2. Survivorship was defined as percentage of patients free of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at follow-up. Clinical interpretation of provided PROMs were performed according to minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) target values reported in literature. Survivorship data and PROMs scores were extracted, and studies were stratified based on selected study features. The quality of included studies was assessed with modified Coleman score.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies, totalling 1296 knees with a mean age between 46.9 and 67 years old, were included. Average survivorship was of 74.6% (range 60 - 98.1%) at 10-years follow up. The subjective scoring systems showed good results according to MCID and PASS, and postoperative improvements were partially maintained until final follow-up.

CONCLUSION

HTO is worth considering as treatment choice even in patients affected by radiological advanced medial knee osteoarthritis. Long term survivorship and good patient reported clinical outcomes could be expected in this population.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; systematic review of level III-IV studies.

Early results of high tibial osteotomy versus combined arthroscopic surgery

Objective

To investigate the early effect of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) compared with combined arthroscopic surgery.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent HTO at The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022. 138 patients (163 knees) with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) treated with HTO were selected. The medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), joint line convergence angle (JLCA), femoral tibial angle (FTA), hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, weight-bearing line (WBL) ratio of the knee joint, opening gap, opening angle, American Knee Society score (KSS), US Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score were measured to determine the different effects between HTO and HTO combined with arthroscopic by logistic regression analysis.

Results

Patients with HTO combined with arthroscopic surgery have improved functional scores as well as imaging perspectives compared to preoperative. By multivariate logistic analysis, it was concluded that arthroscopic surgery and gender are influential factors in the outcome of HTO surgery. The postoperative KSS score was 2.702 times more likely to be classified as excellent in the HTO combined with arthroscopy group than in the HTO group [Exp (β) = 2.702, 95% CI (1.049-6.961), P = 0.039]; the postoperative KSS score was 0.349 times more likely to be classified as excellent in women than in men [Exp (β) = 0.349, 95% CI (0.138-0.883), P = 0.026].

Conclusion

Better results with HTO combined with arthroscopic surgery. HTO combined with arthroscopy is a better choice in the surgical treatment of KOA.

High tibial osteotomy with an external fixator or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for varus knee in young patients?

Purpose

This study compares the functional results and survivorship of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with an external fixator for medial compartment osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Methods

Two cohorts of patients aged less than 60 years who had undergone either a cemented medial mobile-bearing UKA or an HTO with an external fixator were included in the study. The first cohort included patients undergoing a series of 197 consecutive medial UKA procedures (UKA group). The second cohort consisted of 60 consecutive patients undergoing HTO with an external fixator (HTO group). Each patient was assessed based on the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the Subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score/questionnaire. A clinical evaluation was conducted on the day of the surgery (T0) and at the follow-up visit (T1) (minimum follow-up time was 60 months). Complications and failures resulting from the surgery were recorded for each patient.

Results

Only the age of the patients at the pre-operative time differed significantly between the two groups, with the HTO group being significantly younger (47.7 ± 8.0 versus 55.8 ± 2.2).After the final follow-up visit, all scores improved in both groups (p < 0.05).IKDC and Oxford scores were higher for the UKA group (p < 0.05). In the HTO group, three complications occurred (5%), including two superficial infections and one deep infection. On the other hand, the UKA group reported four complications (2%): three aseptic mobilisations and one infection requiring revision surgery. There was no difference in the complication rate between the two groups (p = 0.208).

Conclusions

In young patients (<60 years) with an isolated medial knee OA, both HTO and UKA led to good to excellent clinical results with a low rate of complications at mid-term follow-up; both surgical procedures may be considered in this patient population.

Level of evidence

Level III.

[Short-term effectiveness of high tibial osteotomy combined with arthroscopic surgery for knee varus arthritis and the results of secondary arthroscopic exploration]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effectiveness of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) combined with arthroscopic surgery to treat medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and secondary arthroscopic exploration to evaluate the outcome of cartilage and meniscus.

METHODS

A clinical data of 57 patients with medial compartment KOA with varus deformity of lower extremities admitted between August 2014 and October 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 23 males and 34 females with an average age of 51.2 years (range, 41-63 years). The disease duration ranged from 2 to 8 years, with an average of 4.7 years. The preoperative femorotibial angle was (179.86±4.69)°, the relative position of the lower limb mechanical axis passing through the tibial plateau was 24.21%±6.98%, and the posterior slope of the tibial plateau was (5.23±1.45)°. The Kellgren-Lawrence grade of knee joint was grade Ⅱ in 22 cases and grade Ⅲ in 35 cases. The preoperative Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, Lysholm score, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were 59.1±7.3, 48.8±7.6, and 6.2±1.1, respectively. Arthroscopic exploration was performed during the operation to record the articular cartilage degeneration in the weight-bearing area of the medial compartment (Outerbridge grade Ⅰ in 18 cases, grade Ⅱ in 30 cases, and grade Ⅲ in 9 cases) and the condition of the medial meniscus injury, and the corresponding treatment was performed. The coronal force line was adjusted according to the preoperative Kellgren-Lawrence grade of the knee joint during the operation. After operation, the relative position of the lower limb mechanical axis passing through the tibial plateau, the femorotibial angle, and the posterior slope of the tibial plateau were measured; the Kellgren-Lawrence grade of the knee joint was recorded; the Outerbridge grade of articular cartilage degeneration and the meniscus outcome were evaluated by combining with the MRI of the knee joint at 1 year after operation and the second arthroscopic exploration when the internal fixator was removed. The function and pain of the knee were evaluated by Lysholm score, HSS score, and VAS score.

RESULTS

All the 57 patients were followed up 36-58 months with an average of 42.1 months. Incisions healed by first intention, and no neurovascular injury, intraarticular or hinge fractures occurred during operation, and no postoperative complications such as deep vein thrombosis of lower limbs and internal fixation failure occurred. All the osteotomy sites healed at 3 months after operation. At 1 year after operation, the internal fixator was removed, and the second arthroscopic exploration showed that there were 15 cases of Outerbridge grade Ⅰ, 31 cases of grade Ⅱ, and 11 cases of grade Ⅲ in the weight-bearing area of the medial compartment, and there was no significant difference when compared with preoperative grade ( Z=31.992, P=0.997); there was no cartilage degeneration in other compartments. Meniscus healing was seen in the injured meniscus, and no injury was seen in the normal meniscus. At last follow-up, there were 19 cases of Kellgren-Lawrence grade Ⅱ and 38 cases of grade Ⅲ, and there was no significant difference when compared with preoperative grade ( Z=49.049, P=0.764). The relative position of the lower limb mechanical axis passing through the tibial plateau was 59.16%±2.87%, and the femorotibial angle was (171.54±3.39)°, which significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.001). The posterior slope of the tibial plateau was (5.65±1.22)°, which was not significantly different from that before operation ( t=-1.673, P=0.096). The HSS score, Lysholm score, and VAS score were 82.3±7.7, 83.4±6.4, and 1.6±1.1 respectively, which were significantly different from those before operation ( P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

HTO combined with arthroscopic surgery for medial compartment KOA with varus deformity of lower extremities can effectively improve the force line of lower extremities, relieve pain symptoms, and improve joint function, with satisfactory short-term effectiveness, and without significant progress in articular cartilage or meniscus injury after operation.

[Comparison of two osteotomies in the treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effectiveness of modified distal tibial tubercle-high tibial osteotomy (DTT-HTO) and open-wedge HTO (OWHTO) in the treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis.

METHODS

A clinical data of 80 patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis treated with HTO between January 2016 and January 2019 was retrospectively analyzed, including 40 patients treated with DTT-HTO (DTT-HTO group) and 40 patients treated with OWHTO (OWHTO group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, affected side, disease duration, Kellgren-Lawrence grading of osteoarthritis, and preoperative knee society score (KSS), Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, knee joint visual analogue scale (VAS) score, hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), posterior tibial slope (PTS), weight-bearing line ratio (WBL), Blackburne-Peel index (BPI), Caton-Deschamps index (CDI), and Insall-Salvati index (ISI) between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, incision length, bleeding volume, hospital stay, and complications in both groups were recorded. The KSS, HSS, and VAS scores were used to evaluated the effectiveness. A self-made questionnaire was used to evaluate the recovery of low-impact sports ability of the knee. X-ray films were used to observe the osteotomy healing and measure the HKA, PTS, WBL, and the patellar height indexes (BPI, CDI, ISI).

RESULTS

All operations successfully completed in both groups. The OWHTO group operated longer than the DTT-HTO group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incision length, bleeding volume, and hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). All incisions healed by first intention in both groups. There were 2 cases of lateral hinge fractures in the OWHTO group, and 1 case of lateral hinge fracture and 2 cases of tibial plateau fractures in the DTT-HTO group. No other complications occurred. The patients in both groups were followed up 2-4 years with an average of 2.8 years. The HSS, KSS, and VAS scores in both groups significantly improved after operation when compared with preoperative scores ( P<0.05). All scores gradually improved with the time and there were significant differences between different time points ( P<0.05). The HSS, KSS, and VAS scores were significantly better in the DTT-HTO group than in the OWHTO group at 3 months after operation ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years ( P>0.05). At 1 year, the low-impact sports ability of the OWHTO group was rated as excellent in 8 cases, general in 25 cases, and poor in 7 cases, and as excellent in 7 cases, general in 26 cases, and poor in 7 cases of the DTT-HTO group. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( Z=-0.715, P=0.475). X-ray film reexamination showed that the osteotomies healed in both groups. The healing time was (4.52±1.23) months in the OWHTO group, and (4.23±1.56) months in the DTT-HTO group, showing no significant difference ( t=0.923, P=0.359). At immediate after operation, the HKA and WBL of the two groups significantly improved when compared with the preoperative values ( P<0.05). However, the pre- and post-operational difference was not significant between the two groups ( P>0.05). The PTS of the OWHTO group was significantly higher than preoperative value ( P<0.05), while the PTS of the DTT-HTO group was lower than preoperative value ( P>0.05). The pre- and post-operational difference between the two groups was significant ( P<0.05). BPI and CDI in the OWHTO group were significantly lower than preoperative values ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in ISI when compared with preoperative value ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the BPI, CDI, and ISI of the DTT-HTO group between pre- and post-operation ( P>0.05). The pre- and post-operational differences of BPI and CDI between the two groups were significant ( P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the pre- and post-operational difference of ISI ( P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The two osteotomies in the treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis can significantly change the varus deformity and achieve satisfactory effectiveness. The early functional recovery of DTT-HTO is faster, which can avoid the increased PTS and patellar baja of traditional OWHTO. However, neither of the two surgical procedures can restore the patient's ideal low-impact sports ability of the knee.

[Arthroscopy combined with high tibial osteotomy for the treatment of knee medial compartment osteoarthritis and its influence on cartilage injury]

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of arthroscopy combined with high tibial osteotomy (HTO) in the treatment of knee medial compartment osteoarthritis and its influence on cartilage injury.

Methods

The clinical data of 57 patients with knee medial compartment osteoarthritis treated with arthroscopy combined with HTO between March 2017 and March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 27 males and 30 females with an average age of 52.4 years (range, 44-57 years). The disease duration ranged from 3 to 6 years, with an average of 3.6 years. Twenty-one cases were grade Ⅰ and 36 cases were grade Ⅱ according to Kellgren-Lawrence classification. Flexion contracture of knee joint ranged from 0° to 8° with an average of 1.36° and varus deformity ranged from 5° to 10° with an average of 7.60°. Preoperative arthroscopic evaluation showed that there were 11 cases with grade Ⅰ, 42 cases with gradeⅡ, and 4 cases with grade Ⅲ according to the international cartilage repair classification system (ICRS). Lysholm score, American Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score were used to evaluate knee function before operation, at 3 months, at 1 year after operation, and at last follow-up. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to evaluate pain. The mechanical medial proximal tibial angle (mMPTA) and femoral tibial angle (FTA) were measured before operation and at last follow-up. When the internal fixator was removed, the knee arthroscopy was performed again to explore the cartilage repair condition, and the regeneration level and maturity level were selected for cartilage grading evaluation.

Results

All patients' incisions healed by first intention after operation, and no incision infection or skin necrosis occurred. After operation, the knee joint function of the patients was significantly improved, the pain symptoms were relieved, and the force line measurement reached the target set before operation. The VAS score, Lysholm score, HSS score, and IKDC score were significantly improved at 3 months, 1 year after operation, and at last follow-up when compared with those before operation. They were gradually improved with the time and there were significant differences between time points ( P<0.05). mMPTA and FTA were significantly improved at last follow-up when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). When the internal fixator was removed, the arthroscopic re-assessment found that the cartilage regeneration was classified into 10 cases of grade Ⅰ and 47 cases of grade Ⅱ; 18 cases of immature cartilage regeneration and 29 cases of mature cartilage regeneration were found in the knee joints of grade Ⅱ cartilage regeneration. There was no significant difference in the cartilage regeneration grade between different ICRS gradings ( H=0.176, P=0.916), and the difference in maturity grading was significant ( H=10.500, P=0.005).

Conclusion

Arthroscopy combined with HTO for the treatment of knee medial compartment osteoarthritis can effectively improve the symptoms and function of the knee joint, and can promote the regeneration of articular cartilage.