A special high tibial osteotomy technique for treatment of unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee.

Tibial osteotomy is a well-established procedure for treatment of the varus osteoarthritic knee. A special new technique of oblique tibial osteotomy at the level of the tibial tubercle, preserving the medical cortex and iliotibial band, is presented which allows partial weight bearing the first postoperative day. Postoperatively the femorotibial alignment should be 5 degrees to 7 degrees of valgus in elderly patients. Because in younger individuals the intact iliotibial band is a strong restraint against varus deformity, we seek to correct to 3 degrees to 5 degrees of valgus in these patients. Of 172 cases treated with this technique between 1982 and 1986, 50 patients were retrospectively reviewed. After a follow-up period of 6 months to 3 years, pain was relieved in 46 patients. Complications consisted of 5 secondary wound healings, including 2 superficial infections, 1 tibial plateau fracture, and 3 varus recurrences.