Indications, Technique, and Outcomes of Patient Specific Instrumentation for Osteotomy About the Knee

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Osteotomies around the knee are well-established techniques used to correct lower-extremity malalignment. While osteotomies of the proximal tibia and distal femur have traditionally been performed free-hand, the advent of Patient-Specific Instrumentation (PSI) in the form of custom 3D printed cutting guides and implants offers surgeons a greater ability to individualize surgical corrections to a patient's unique bony anatomy. This review aims to investigate the current state of the literature surrounding the use and outcomes of PSI for knee osteotomies and the benefits and drawbacks of PSI compared to traditional techniques. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of PSI in knee osteotomy, including improvements in the accuracy of planned corrections, reductions in operative time and fluoroscopy exposure, and similar patient-reported outcomes. While increased costs and lead time represent drawbacks to the use of PSI, the technology continues to evolve such that these areas may improve over time. For osteotomy of the distal femur and proximal tibia, PSI offers surgeons an opportunity to improve surgical precision intra-operatively, with similar outcomes and complication rates as compared to traditional osteotomy techniques.