Type of medial meniscus tear does not affect the clinical and radiological outcomes of medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

PURPOSE: The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) on radiological and clinical outcomes after medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO).

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent MOWHTO (113 knees) at our hospital between September 2012 and June 2020 and who were followed up for > 2 years. The radiological and clinical outcomes were compared between the MMPRT group (52 knees), who included patients with MMPRT, and the non-MMPRT group (61 knees), who comprised patients without meniscal tear or with any type of meniscal tear other than MMPRT. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors affecting osteoarthritis (OA) progression after MOWHTO.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up period was 40.6 ± 14.2 months. The mean ages of the MMPRT and non-MMPRT groups were 56.9 ± 6.4 and 54.4 ± 6.1 years, respectively (p = 0.031). There was no significant difference in the last follow-up radiological and clinical outcomes between the two groups. In the logistic regression analysis, the postoperative hip-knee-ankle angle was a risk factor of OA progression after MOWHTO (odds ratio 0.7; 95% confidence interval 0.5-0.9; p = 0.006), and the type of medial meniscus tear was not associated with OA progression (p = n.s.).

CONCLUSIONS

In the short- to mid-term follow-up of MOWHTO, the radiological or clinical outcomes of patients with MMPRT were not inferior to those of patients without MMPRT. Postoperative lower extremity alignment, but not MMPRT, was a factor influencing MOWHTO prognosis. Concurrent root repair in HTO will restore the anatomy better; however, its effect on progression of OA is yet to be proven.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.