Editorial Commentary: Posterolateral Malposition of the Cortical Hinge During Medial Open-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy Increases Posterior Tibial Slope: Incomplete Posterior Osteotomy May Shift the Hinge From Lateral to Posterolateral

Abstract

Medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy is an established treatment option for relatively young patients with medial-compartment osteoarthritis and varus deformity. This procedure is mainly focused on correcting coronal malalignment; however, it inevitably affects the posterior tibial slope (PTS) in the sagittal plane. The alteration of the PTS significantly affects knee stability and kinematics. When medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy is performed, incomplete osteotomy of the posterior cortex could lead to a cortical hinge shift from the lateral side to the posterolateral side, which indicates the alteration of the axial hinge axis. In this case, there is a risk of an increasing PTS. In addition, incomplete posterior cortex osteotomy can lead to a lateral hinge fracture.