Tibial tubercle osteotomy: effect of different osteotomy planes on contact surface area and tubercle anteriorization

In 1983, Fulkerson introduced a technique of tibial tubercle osteotomy performed according to an inclined plane with respect to frontal plane. Due to obliquity of the osteotomy plane, this procedure allows both anterior and medial transfer of the tibial tubercle. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the different degrees of the oblique plane of osteotomy on anterior displacement and the contact surface area of tibial tubercle. Synthetic bones were used for the study. An osteotomy of the tibial tubercle (TT) was performed in each specimen. Specifically, 3 different degrees of osteotomy planes relative to the reference frontal plane were examined: 20°, 30° and 40°. On …