EARLY OUTCOMES OF HIGH TIBIAL\nOSTEOTOMY USING DYNAMIC AXIAL\nEXTERNAL FIXATOR IN MEDIAL\nCOMPARTMENT OSTEOARTHRITIS OF KNEE.

Abstract

Structured abstract:Medial compartment osteoarthritis of knee in young adults has a variety of management options.\nRealignment surgeries by high tibial osteotomy unload the medial joint and are gaining popularity with increasing\nfocus on knee preservation surgeries. Medial opening wedge osteotomy is one such time tested technique with the\nfixation being done using internal or external fixators. Here we present the early outcomes of infra-tubercle medial\nopening wedge osteotomy using a dynamic axial external fixator. Methodology: A single group cohort study was\nconducted to assess the functional outcomes of high tibial osteotomy with a uni-axial dynamic external fixator for medial\ncompartmental osteoarthritis in younger patient. Results:Function was assessed using knee scores at 6 months and 12\nmonths follow-up which was 85.5 and 83.1 respectively. On bivariate analysis of pre and post-operative Knee-scores,\nsignificant improvement was noted with average being 44.2 ± 4.01 which was statistically significant p value-<0.00001.\nExcellent results were obtained in 15 cases (75%) and good results in 5 cases (25%). Three patients developed pin track\ninfections and were treated with antibiotics and pin tract care. Conclusion: High tibial osteotomy using dynamic\nexternal fixator is a simple and effective option for management of medial compartment osteoarthritis in young patients\nwith good short-term functional outcomes and low risk of infection.