Is overcorrection preferable for repair of degenerated articular cartilage after open-wedge high tibial osteotomy?

This study was performed to determine whether the overcorrected knee could obtain a higher ratio of articular cartilage repair in the medial compartment of the femorotibial joint after open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO). The hypothesis of the study was that overcorrected knees had a higher ratio of articular cartilage repair than moderately corrected knees. A total of 71 knees that underwent arthroscopy to evaluate the articular cartilage during open-wedge HTO and second-look arthroscopy were reviewed. The articular cartilage was classified as no repair or repair according to Koshino et al. Overcorrection was defined as knees with femorotibial angle <= 166A degrees. Second-look arthroscopy was performed 410 +/- 64 days after HTO. Based on arthroscopic observations, 45 knees (63.4 %) showed no repair and 26 knees (36.6 %) showed repair. In terms of the ratio of cartilage repair, there was no difference between overcorrected knees with mean femorotibial angle of 165A degrees A +/- 1A degrees and moderately corrected knees with mean femorotibial angle of 170A degrees A +/- 2A degrees (n.s.). No significant differences were found in the ratio of cartilage repair between overcorrected and moderately corrected knees. Retrospective comparative study, Level III.