Combining proximal fibular osteotomy with high tibial osteotomy – Is it better than high tibial osteotomy alone? Comparative evaluation of early outcome

Introduction: Valgisation high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a widely performed procedure for patients with medial compartment unicompartmental osteoarthrosis knee with varus malalignment of lower limbs. Over the last two decades, medial open-wedge HTO has been more popular than lateral closed-wedge techniques due to multiple advantages. Recently, isolated proximal fibular osteotomy/fibulectomy (PFO) has been advocated as a treatment for medial tibiofemoral osteoarthrosis in young patients. The role of fibulectomy as an adjunct to medial open-wedge HTO has been scarcely reviewed in the literature. Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective comparative evaluation of clinical outcomes between patients undergoing PFO + HTO versus HTO alone. Functional outcome of ten patients in either group was assessed by Oxford Knee Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities score. Results: Patients undergoing PFO + HTO had a larger degree of angular correction. There were lesser complications related to HTO (no delayed union and nonunion). Furthermore, there was no loss of limb alignment. However, peroneal nerve (transient) palsy was reported in this group. Overall, patients had better pain relief and improved scores in the PFO + HTO group. Conclusion: PFO seems to be beneficial (albeit statistically insignificant in our cohort) in medial open-wedge osteotomy by allowing compression and promoting union at osteotomy site, maintaining limb alignment for longer period, and providing bone graft for osteotomy site. We recommend a larger prospective study to study the benefits of PFO + HTO for correction greater than 10°, osteoporosis, iatrogenic fracture of lateral cortex of tibia, and slope correction osteotomies. Care should be exercised while handling the common peroneal nerve during PFO.