title: Biomechanical evaluation of a high tibial osteotomy with a meniscal transplant.
abstract: This study determines the biomechanical advantage and the optimal configuration of a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and meniscus transplantation performed concurrently. Six cadaver knees were placed in a spatial frame, and an HTO was completed. Loading points between a mechanical 6 degrees of varus and 8 degrees ofvalgus were loaded to 800 N for medial meniscal intact, meniscectomized, and transplanted states. Posterior slope was also increased by 3 degrees in these specimens. Contact data was recorded. Peak pressures significantly increased in the meniscectomized state in every degree of varus/valgus (p < 0.05). For both peak and total medial compartment pressures, there was a significant drop (p < 0.001) between neutral and 3 degrees of valgus. Lateral compartment pressures linearly increased from varus to valgus orientation. There was no significant change in the pressure profile of the knee with a 3-degree increase in posterior slope. This biomechanical study confirms the hypothesis that an HTO improves the peak pressures in the medial compartment at all degrees of varus/valgus alignment in the setting of meniscal transplantation. Furthermore, the largest decrease in medial pressures was between neutral and 3 degrees of valgus, suggesting that perhaps neutral aligned knees could benefit from an HTO.
authors: Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Rush University Medical Center, 1611 W. Harrison Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Geoffrey_vanthiel@rush.edu
authors: Geoffrey S
authors: GS
authors: Van Thiel
authors: Rachel M
authors: RM
authors: Frank
authors: Aman
authors: A
authors: Gupta
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Ghodadra
authors: Elizabeth F
authors: EF
authors: Shewman
authors: Vincent M
authors: VM
authors: Wang
authors: Bernard R
authors: BR
authors: Bach
authors: Nihkil N
authors: NN
authors: Verma
authors: Brian J
authors: BJ
authors: Cole
authors: Matthew T
authors: MT
authors: Provencher