High tibial osteotomy: factors influencing the duration of satisfactory function

In 94 patients 112 knees were examined after high tibial osteotomy for varus and valgus gonarthrosis. Preoperatively, there were 71 varus and 23 valgus deformities. The mean follow-up period was 9.0 years (range 2-21 years). Concerning the pain on walking and the pain at rest, we noted good and excellent results in 73% and 65%, respectively. The radiological evaluation showed an improvement or a persistence of the stage of arthrosis in 69.5% of the reviewed cases. The results according to the HSS score as an objective parameter showed in over 50% an improvement of the patients' situation. The data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis in which three of four evaluated risk factors were found to be associated with the duration of pain-free survival: certain preoperative injuries, preoperative meniscopathies and a deterioration of the stage of arthrosis (P < 0.05). There was no significance for weight in excess of 10% above the normal body mass index (BMI) limits. However, in a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis this parameter could be determined as a significant factor for a reduced pain-free survival interval (P < 0.05): patients with a BMI of more than 10% above normal limits had a pain-free period of 5.07 years, whereas those with a BMI of less than 10% had a pain-free period of 7.80 years.