Editorial Commentary: Risk of Lateral Hinge Fracture After Knee Medial Opening-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy Can Be Reduced With Osteotomy at the Level of the Proximal Tibiofibular Joint and Gap Width of No Larger Than 11 mm

Abstract

Medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomies are commonly performed to treat varus deformity and medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee in active younger individuals. A common complication of this procedure is the development of a lateral hinge fracture. This can occur both acutely and with a delayed presentation. There are many considerations to reduce this fracture, including biplanar versus monoplanar osteotomy, amount of correction/gap width, level of the osteotomy, and lateral cortical distance of the osteotomy. To best reduce the risk of a lateral hinge fracture, place the level of the osteotomy at the level of the proximal tibiofibular joint, and maintain a gap width of no larger than ∼11 mm.