SIMULTANEOUS HIGH TIBIAL OSTEOTOMY AND ACL RECONSTRUCTION FOR COMBINED GENU-VARUM AND SYMPTOMATIC ACL TEAR

This article reviews the subjective, objective, functional, and radiog raphic results of five patients with symptomatic anterior cruciate ins tability, genu varum, and varus rotational instability treated by sequ ential high tibial osteotomy and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruc tion at one operative procedure. The average patient age was 27 years (range: 21 to 35), and the average follow up was 2.5 years (range: 2 t o 3). All patients had symptomatic instability with anterior tibia sub luxation, which was documented by KT-1000 testing. All patients also h ad a varus alignment clinically and radiographically with medial compa rtment pain. Postoperatively, the medial compartment pain was improved , and instability episodes were eliminated. Side to side differences ( KT-1000-manual maximum) were reduced to 3.1 mm. There were no complica tions. The instability episodes were eliminated, and functional levels were improved in all patients. We concluded that, for this select gro up of patients, simultaneous extremity realignment and ligament stabil ization will effectively manage both conditions without compromising t he results of either procedure.