Changes in medial compartment loading and articular cartilage thickness 24 months after limb realignment surgery in the operative and non-operative limbs

Abstract

Purpose: High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a limb realignment surgery for patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA) and varus alignment. The surgery is proposed to improve aberrant knee joint loading and thereby alter disease progression. The purpose of the present study was to quantify and compare changes in MRI-based measures of medial articular cartilage thickness and 3D gait analysis-based measures of medial-to-lateral knee load distribution preoperatively, and at 12 and 24 months postoperatively in both the operative and non-operative limbs.