Return to Work Following Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy for Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis and Pain
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Published on: January 24, 2018
Avinesh Agarwalla1, Joseph N Liu2, Hao-Hua Wu3
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Purpose:
To evaluate the ability of patients to return to work following anteromedialization (AMZ) tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) due to isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis or pain.
Methods:
Consecutive patients undergoing AMZ TTO were reviewed retrospectively at a minimum of 1 year postoperatively. Patients completed a subjective work questionnaire, a visual analog scale for pain, as well as a Kujala questionnaire and satisfaction questionnaire.
Results:
Fifty-seven patients (61 knees; average age: 32.7 ± 9.6 years) were contacted at an average follow-up of 4.86 ± 2.84 years postoperatively. The preoperative Kujala score improved from 55.7 ± 17.8 to 84.6 ± 15.8 at final follow-up (P < 0.001). Thirty-seven patients (64.9%) were employed within 3 years prior to surgery and 34 patients (91.9%) were able to return to work by 2.8 ± 2.6 months postoperatively. However, only 27 patients (73.0%) of patients were able to return to the same level of occupational intensity. Patients who held sedentary, light-, medium-, or high-intensity occupations were able to return to work at a rate of 100.0%, 93.8%, 77.8%, and 100.0% by 2.2 months, 3.0 months, 3.1 months, and 4.0 months, postoperatively. No patients underwent revision TTO or conversion to arthroplasty by the time of final follow-up.
Conclusion:
In patients with focal patellofemoral osteoarthritis or pain, AMZ TTO provides a high rate of return to work (91.9%) by 2.8 ± 2.6 months postoperatively. Patients with higher intensity occupations may take longer to return to work than those with less physically demanding occupations.
Level Of Evidence:
III.
