A meta-analysis of total knee arthroplasty following high tibial osteotomy versus primary total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Abstract Background This study was performed to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) following high tibial osteotomy (HTO) versus primary TKA. Methods Relevant trials were identified via a search of Ovid, PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to 10 January 2019. A meta-analysis was performed to compare postoperative outcomes between revising HTO to TKA (RHTO) and primary TKA (PTKA) with respect to Knee Society Score (KSS), 10-year survival rate, operative time, flexion and extension angle, infection rate and radiographic results. Results Sixteen of 340 studies involving 103,552 adult patients (RHTO group, n = 3955; PTKA group, n = 99,597) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Compared with primary TKA, revising HTO to TKA required longer operative time and had a higher infection rate (P < 0.05). The PTKA group had better flexion angle than the RHTO group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the KSS, extension angle, radiographic results and 10-year survival rate (P > 0.05). Conclusion Patients who undergo conversion of HTO to TKA have similar 10-year survival rate, KSS, extension angle and radiographic results as patients who undergo primary TKA. However, conversion of HTO to TKA required longer operative time and had a higher infection rate than performing primary TKA. Moreover, conversion of HTO to TKA is associated with poorer flexion angle than primary TKA.