Clinical significance of posterior tibial slope in knee surgery

Posterior tibial slope (PTS) is used to describe the sagittal alignment of the tibial plateau of the knee. As its values indicate the steepness or gentleness of the tibial platform, it is an important basis for knee surgery, such as total knee replacement (TKA), anterior cruciate ligament/posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (RACL/RPCL) and tibia high-level osteotomy (HTO), and affects the indication and efficacy of knee surgery. Since there has been no consensus description of PTS at present in clinical practice in China, this paper intends to discuss PTS from perspectives of epidemiology, measurement, its influence on knee joint activity, relationship between subchondral bone and knee ligament, and its significance in various knee joint operations. This review hopes to contribute to the knee surgery after the surgeons have a comprehensive understanding of the clinical significance and applications of PTS. Key words: Tibia; Knee joint; Ligaments; Tibial plateau; Clinical significance