Preoperative surgical planning versus navigation system in valgus tibial osteotomy: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to verify whether the correction obtained using a navigation system (NS) corresponds to the wedge calculated by the Dugdale method (DM) in high tibial osteotomy (HTO).

Methods: We included 17 patients with primary varus and HTO indication, consecutively admitted to a public university hospital. All patients underwent panoramic radiography with bipedal load for the wedge calculation by DM. They underwent HTO with an opening wedge, fixed with an HTO plate and monitored by the OrthoPilot NS. Bone grafts were used in every case. The wedge opening obtained by the NS was compared to that calculated in the radiographs.

Results: The mean opening by DM was 9.53° and by the NS 11.8° (p < 0.045).

Conclusions: There was a significant difference in the calculation of the wedge opening between the DM and NS. HTO without the aid of the NS could theoretically lead to undercorrection of the deformity.