# How effective is proximal fibular osteotomy in redistributing joint pressures? Insights from an HTO comparative in-silico study

## TL;DR

This study uses computer modeling to compare how well a new knee surgery (PFO) works compared to traditional surgery (HTO) in reducing joint pressure for knee osteoarthritis.

## Contribution

The study provides the first quantitative biomechanical analysis of proximal fibular osteotomy (PFO) using finite element analysis.

## Key findings

- PFO effectively redistributes and homogenizes joint stresses in the knee.
- PFO repositions the center of pressure towards the knee center, similar to HTO.
- FEA supports the biomechanical theory of PFO as a viable alternative to HTO.

## Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) represents a widespread degenerative condition among adults that significantly affects quality of life. This study aims to elucidate the biomechanical implications of proximal fibular osteotomy (PFO), a proposed cost-effective and straightforward intervention for KOA, comparing its effects against traditional high tibial osteotomy (HTO) through in-silico analysis.

Using medical imaging and finite element analysis (FEA), this research quantitatively evaluates the biomechanical outcomes of a simulated PFO procedure in patients with severe medial compartment genu-varum, who have undergone surgical correction with HTO. The study focused on evaluating changes in knee joint contact pressures, stress distribution, and anatomical positioning of the center of pressure (CoP). Three models are generated for each of the five patients investigated in this study, a preoperative original condition model, an in-silico PFO based on the same original condition data, and a reversed-engineered HTO in-silico model.

The novel contribution of this investigation is the quantitative analysis of the impact of PFO on the biomechanics of the knee joint. The results provide mechanical evidence that PFO can effectively redistribute and homogenize joint stresses, while also repositioning the CoP towards the center of the knee, similar to what is observed post HTO. The findings propose PFO as a potentially viable and simpler alternative to conventional surgical methods for managing severe KOA, specifically in patients with medial compartment genu-varum.

This research also marks the first application of FEA that may support one of the underlying biomechanical theories of PFO, providing a foundation for future clinical and in-silico studies.