Abstract: Purpose: To compare the results of high tibial osteotomy with partial fibulectomy in the surgical management of isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis of knee and to reduce pain and deformity.
Methods: patients visiting the outpatient department of S.C.S.M.S.R. with complaints of knee pain. Patients who were found to have isolated medial compartment osteo-arthritis will be included in the study. 50 patients were subjected to high tibial osteotomy and 50 patients were operated with partial fibulectomy. Functional outcome of both the procedure were compared with WOMAC score. Patients were followed up at 3 months 6 months and 9 months and reassessed.
Result: There were a total of 100 patients with clinically and X-ray confirmed medial compartment osteoarthritis of knee (41 males and 59 females) with most patient in 51-60 year age group. mean pre operative WOMAC score was 82.38 and mean post operative score at 9 Month follow up was 38.43(p value <0.001) which is statistically significant. pre-operative VAS was 7.83 and post operative vas 2.78 and radiographic valgus angle preoperatively was 7.54 degrees of varus to postoperative valgus of 1.90.
Conclusion: We want to conclude saying that partial fibulectomy is a safe, fast and affordable surgery to relieve pain and improve joint function and the medial joint space in human knee osteoarthritis. HTO is the surgery of choice in medial compartment OA associated with high degree of genu varum. From our study, it is quite clear that open wedge osteotomy using limb reconstruction system is an effective method of managing OA knee especially in younger patients with unicompartmental knee involvement. We strongly recommend this procedure in relatively younger patients as it may delay the need of joint replacement and in some cases, it may actually avoid it.
