Minimally invasive opening wedge tibia outpatient osteotomy, using screw-to-plate locking technique and a calcium phosphate cement

Abstract

Medial knee osteoarthritis on angular varus deformity of a lower limb is very common. Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy is a treatment of choice if cartilage is not excessively worn (Allback 1 or 2). The technique based on a plate fixation and the bone defect filled with calcium phosphate cement is thoroughly described. Data at 1, 3, 6 months and 1 year of a 19 cases continuous and prospective series are collected and analysed. Mean age at the time of operation was 55 years. The average preoperative varus deformity was 5° and corrected to an average postoperative valgus of 4° (range 3°–6°). Each control includes the collection of eventual complications, the measurement of health status (quality of life and functional scores) and antero-posterior and lateral X-rays. All osteotomies were considered healed at 6 weeks without any correction loss except one, probably result of a technical error. There was no difference in clinical and functional results between the group and the literature, but the final result occurred earlier in the treatment when the bone defect was filled with either calcium phosphate cement. Faster recovery involved no specific complication and enabled outpatient treatment in a majority of patients.