The Novel Osteopore® Wedge in Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy: A Technical Note

Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) is a highly common procedure for correcting varus malalignment of the knee. The current gold standard for filling this osteotomy gap is autologous bone graft, which is associated with donor site morbidity. Allograft bone graft is also an alternative; however, it is associated with certain disadvantages, such as storage cost, limited supply, and the risk of infection transmission. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in and further developments of synthetic options for filling the osteotomy gap. We would like to introduce and describe the process of manufacturing and utilizing the novel Osteopore® 3D-printed, honeycomb-structured, polycaprolactone and β-tricalcium phosphate (PCL-TCP) synthetic bone wedge for filling the gap in MOWHTO. This study will also include illustrations of postoperative radiographs and CT scans to showcase bony remodeling over a period of up to 12 months. In the era of additive manufacturing and the pursuit of more biocompatible materials, the use of a patient-specific 3D-printed, honeycomb-structured, PCL-TCP bone spacer wedge in MOWHTO is promising and may serve as a viable alternative to autograft and allograft bone grafts. It offers the potential to maintain biomechanical stability and facilitate the healing of the osteotomy gap without the associated drawbacks of bone graft.