[Outcome of the femoropatellar joint in osteoarthritic genu varum after tibial wedge osteotomy for angulation. 10 to 13 year regression].

The progressive radiological changes in the patello-femoral joint after upper tibial osteotomy performed for arthrosis of the knee were studied more than 10 years after the surgical procedure. The changes were found to be minimal. In cases where the patello femoral joint space was normal before the osteotomy, it was still so 10 years later. In half of the cases where the patello-femoral joint space was abnormal before the osteotomy, it had deteriorated 10 years later, the lesions being more severe on the medial facet of the patella. This change occurred in 11 cases. It was not affected by the extent of the valgus osteotomy, changes in the tibio femoral joint space or the technique of the osteotomy. The functional results could only be correlated with the changes in the tibio femoral joint space and not with those in the patello-femoral joint space. However, excellent results as regards the tibio femoral joint space could still be associated with pain in the patello-femoral joint when it was arthrotic before the osteotomy. Nevertheless, the authors conclude that an associated transposition of the tibial tubercle in association with upper tibial osteotomy is not worthwhile, since no failure in their series could be attributed to impairment of the patello-femoral joint.