Abstract
BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent chronic, progressive, degenerative condition in older individuals, characterized by joint pain, stiffness, and deformity. The rate of articular degeneration in weight-bearing areas exceeds that in non-weight-bearing regions of the joint, which subsequently calcify to form osteophytes. Patients who do not find relief from oral and topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids may benefit from intra-articular injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and surgical interventions such as proximal fibular osteotomy (PFO), high tibial osteotomy (HTO), and total knee replacement (TKR). AIM: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of PFO in treating medial compartment OA of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 patients with medial compartment OA who attended the orthopedics outpatient department (OPD) during the study period of two years (2019-2020) were included. Patients diagnosed with medial compartment OA underwent PFO. The outcomes of the treatment were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) score and the Modified Oxford Knee Score. RESULTS: There was an improvement in medial knee pain in nearly all patients following PFO. Improvements were noted in the medial joint space, VAS score, and Modified Oxford Knee Score. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that PFO effectively alleviates pain and enhances joint function in patients with medial compartment OA at 12 months postoperatively.