Background: A 60-year-old female underwent proximal tibial autograft harvest for a Cotton osteotomy. Her postoperative course was complicated by psychogenic non-epileptic seizure (PNES) episodes leading to unintentional weightbearing. Knee radiographs at 6 weeks post-procedure demonstrated a displaced proximal tibia fracture through the autograft harvest site. Further clinical review revealed metabolic derangements consistent with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Initial nonoperative treatment led to atrophic varus nonunion requiring definitive treatment with total knee arthroplasty with revision components.
Conclusion: This case describes a rare complication of proximal tibial autograft harvest and highlights the importance of preoperative metabolic workup and bone health optimization.Level of Evidence: IV.
Keywords: bone health; osteomalacia; osteoporosis; tibia fracture.
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