Fifteen to twenty-eight years' follow-up results of high tibial valgus osteotomy for osteoarthritic knee.

A long-term follow-up study was performed on 75 knees of 53 patients after high tibial valgus osteotomy. The earlier results have previously been reported. There were 15 knees in 11 men and 60 knees in 42 women. The follow-up period ranged from 15 to 28 years with a mean of 19 +/- 3 years. The age at osteotomy ranged from 46 to 73 years with a mean of 59.6 +/- 6.7 years. The diagnosis was medial compartmental osteoarthritis (OA) in 68 knees (46 patients) and spontaneous osteonecrosis of the medial femoral condyle in 7 knees (7 patients). Valgus osteotomy was performed above the tibial tuberosity, with removal of a laterally based wedge in all cases, aiming for anatomical valgus angulation of 10 degrees . The American Knee Society Score showed a Knee Score of 37 +/- 20 and a Function Score of 38 +/- 16 preoperatively and 87 +/- 13 and 80 +/- 19 at the final 15 to 28 years' follow-up. The femoro-tibial angle in standing was 186 +/- 6.5 degrees (6 degrees of anatomical varus angulation) before and 171 +/- 7.5 degrees (9 degrees of anatomical valgus angulation) at final follow-up (p < 0.0001), with no apparent loss of limb alignment.