Comparison of patient satisfaction and outcomes of open wedge proximal tibial osteotomy with and without allograft: A cross-sectional study

Objective: Open-wedge proximal tibial osteotomy (OW-PTS) is a common surgical technique widely used to treat osteoarthritis and deformities of the knee joint. It is often enhanced with bone grafts to support healing. This study aimed to compare patient satisfaction and short-term outcomes of the procedure performed with and without allografts. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the orthopedic clinic of Hamadan, Iran. A total of 55 patients underwent OW-PTS, either with or without the use of an allograft. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Knee Society Score (KSS). Additionally, the incidence of non-union and postoperative complications was recorded and compared between the two groups during a three-month follow-up period. Results: A total of 55 patients underwent OW-PTS, with 39 (70.9 %) receiving an allograft and 16 (29.1 %) not receiving one. Both groups demonstrated significant postoperative improvement in patient satisfaction scores (p < 0.001); however, there were no significant differences between the groups either preoperatively (p = 0.217) or postoperatively (p = 0.614). At the three-month follow-up, tibial union and complication rates were similar between the allograft and non-allograft groups, with no statistically significant differences observed (p = 0.571). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that both allograft and non-allograft approaches to OW-PTO lead to significant improvements in patient satisfaction. Given the comparable short-term outcomes in terms of satisfaction, tibial union, and complication rates, the use of allograft may not be essential for successful surgical results in appropriately selected patients.