Osteotomy is a surgical procedure performed on a patient with early-stage osteoarthritis causing damage to only one side of their knee joint. During the surgery, either the femur (thighbone) or the tibia (shinbone) will be cut and reshaped to relieve the knee joint of any pressure. 

Also, since the weight is shifted off the joint’s damaged side, it helps improve function in the knee. Many specialists at the best orthopaedics hospital in Bangalore recommend this procedure, especially in cases of early diagnosis. Read on to learn more about osteotomy surgery:

Osteoarthritis develops when the bones of your leg and knee aren’t lining up properly. This results in extra stress on either the knee’s outer (lateral) or inner (medial) side. As time passes by, this extra pressure wears the smooth articular cartilage away protecting your bones. 

As a result, you will experience stiffness and pain in your knees, and in some cases joint deformity such as bow legs and knock-knees. If the damage is limited to one side of the joint, knee osteotomy can be used to relieve you of the pain. There are three goals of this procedure:

  • Transfer weight from the knee’s arthritic part to a healthier area
  • Correct poor knee alignment
  • Prolong the knee joint’s lifespan

When you undergo this procedure, you get to preserve your knee’s anatomy. A successful osteotomy procedure can delay the need for a replacement for several years. 

Also, you won’t have to deal with restrictions on physical activities after the procedure, even the high-impact exercises. Even though knee osteotomy has become less common because of the successful results people can get from knee replacement, it is a desirable option for many patients. 

Procedure

Most osteotomies performed for knee arthritis are done on the shinbone or tibia for correcting a bowlegged alignment that puts excessive stress on your knee’s insides. During the surgery, the surgeon will remove a wedge of bone from the outside of the shinbone, under the knee’s healthy side. 

When the wedge is closed, it will straighten the leg and bring the bone present on the healthy side of your knee closer. This will create more space between the bones present on the arthritic, damaged side. After a successful osteotomy procedure, your knee will be able to carry more weight evenly that will ease the pressure on the painful side.

Also known as the high tibial osteotomy, this procedure was first performed in the late 1950s in Europe. It was brought to the US in the 1960s. Osteotomy of the femur or thigh bone is also done through the same technique to correct a knock-kneed alignment.

Best candidates for the knee osteotomy procedure

This procedure works for patients who are under the age of 60 years and are thin and active. You must have no pain under the kneecap, only on one side of your knee. Also, the knee pain must be brought on mainly by strenuous activity or standing for a while. You must be able to straighten your knee completely and bend it 90 degrees.

Osteotomy is not suited for candidates who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. You can talk to the specialists at the best orthopedics hospital in Bangalore and discuss whether the osteotomy procedure will work for you or not. In most cases, an osteotomy procedure is successful in delaying the progression of knee arthritis and in relieving pain. 

If you are young, this surgery can help you live a more active lifestyle for several years to come. Even though you might have to ultimately get a total knee replacement procedure done, an osteotomy can help you buy time.