Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy in patients with posttraumatic medial tibial plateau bone defect: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic uncontained bone defect in the knee joint is one of the most serious knee injuries. As the knee joint is the main weight-bearing joint of the body, the problem of weight loading should be addressed while restoring the bone defect. However, no consensus exists regarding the treatment of this injury. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Two patients in separate cases initially sustained traumatic uncontained proximal tibial bone defects secondary to passenger traffic accidents. After recovery from the initial trauma, these patients underwent medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) and femoral head allograft augmentation simultaneously. DISCUSSION: Treatment of traumatic uncontained bone defect in the knee joint should be considered separately as tumorous or osteoarthritic bone defects. Especially, the effects of the defective supporting soft tissue structures should be considered. CONCLUSION: We considered that MOWHTO was capable of solving problems of both bone stock restoration and weight loading. After the operation, the patients’ knee joint pain was relieved and stable ambulation was possible.