Tibial slope and high tibial osteotomy using the circular external fixator.

Alteration of tibial slope is one of the important anatomical changes of the proximal tibia after high tibial osteotomy. Increased or decreased tibial slope can effect further total knee prosthesis procedure. In this retrospective study, 18 knees of 17 patients (17 female, mean age 51 range 43-61, mean BMI is 33.6 +/- 4.6 kg/m2) who were applied high tibial osteotomy using circular external fixator due to medial compartment arthrosis of the knee were evaluated in terms of tibial slope changes. While mean correction about 12.3 degrees in mechanical femoro-tibial angle was obtained in frontal plan (P = 0.0001), significant change in tibial slope was not determined in sagittal plan (P = 0.127). The mean posterior proximal femoral angle values were measured as 79.5 +/- 2.1 degrees preoperatively and as 80.3 +/- 2.7 degrees postoperatively and found to fall into the normal range (80.4 +/- 1.6 degrees). As there is no significant alteration in tibial slope after high tibial osteotomy performed with the Ilizarov system, complications due to alteration in tibial slope will not be experienced in follow-up or in further total knee prosthesis procedure.