Description
Open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) is a useful surgical procedure for osteoarthritis of the knee, but one of its problems is postoperative cartilage damage in the patellofemoral (PF) joint. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lateral retinacular release (LRR) on the progression of cartilage damage of the PF joint as well as clinical and radiographic outcomes after OWHTO. This study showed that LRR prevented the progression of cartilage damage in the PF joint after OWHTO, although there was no effect on patient reported outcomes. This may be because LRR could decrease the pressure on the lateral facet without altering its congruity.