Effect of Varus-Producing Distal Femoral Osteotomy and High Tibial Osteotomy on Compartment Pressures and Contact Area at Varying Degrees of Knee Flexion

Background: In patients with valgus alignment and degenerative changes in the lateral compartment, both distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO) can be used to unload the lateral compartment. Prior studies have shown that in valgus knees, the tibial wear is posterior and DFO exerts the greatest effect in extension; however, its effect is decreased as flexion angle rises. Hypothesis: Medial closing-wedge (MCW) HTO would significantly decrease contact area, mean contact pressure (MCP), and peak contact pressure (PCP) in the lateral knee compartment through knee flexion to a greater extent compared with lateral opening-wedge (LOW) DFO. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: MCWHTO and LOWDFO were performed, correcting a mean of 8 degrees of valgus alignment, in 10 cadaveric knees using plate fixation. Tibiofemoral contact pressure of the medial and lateral compartments was measured in 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees of knee flexion before and after osteotomy using thin electronic sensors and load applied through an Instron device. PCP, MCP, and contact area were measured for each condition. Results: The lateral MCP was significantly decreased in the HTO state compared with the native state in 30 degrees (P = .015), 60 degrees (P = .0199), and 90 degrees (P < .0001) of flexion. The lateral MCP was also significantly decreased in the HTO state when compared with the DFO state in 60 degrees (P = .0093) and 90 degrees of flexion (P < .0001). After DFO, the lateral MCP returned to that of the native state in 60 degrees (P > .999) and 90 degrees (P > .999) of flexion. The lateral PCP decreased for all test states in all degrees of flexion; the HTO state was significantly decreased when compared with the native state in 60 degrees (P < .0001) and 90 degrees (P < .0001). Conclusion: With varus corrections of 8 degrees, MCWHTO was more effective at unloading the lateral compartment than LOWDFO. This effect was significant as the knee flexion angle increased. This study should be considered as one aspect of the surgical decision-making process.