[Osteotomy at knee level for young patients with gonarthrosis].

Young patients with gonarthrosis that does not respond adequately to conservative therapy can be treated by corrective osteotomy. Osteoarthritis of one compartment more often has a mechanical aetiology than osteoarthritis of the entire knee. Patients with osteoarthritis of the medial compartment often have a genu varum (bow-legs) while patients with osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment often have a genu valgum (knock-knees). The goal of corrective osteotomy is to transfer the load bearing to the normal compartment, which will reduce the symptoms and permit arthroplasty to be postponed. In retrospective studies, the procedure resulted in less pain, improved knee function or postponement of knee arthroplasty in 28-87% of the patients. Possible complications include pseudarthrosis, thromboembolism, contracture of the patellar tendon, paresis of the N. peroneus, compartment syndrome. The outcome of osteotomy for gonarthrosis depends on careful patient selection, the stage of osteoarthritis, and the achievement and maintenance of the correction of the load axis that was calculated before the operation.