When is an osteotomy indicated?

Cartilage covers the ends of the bones in a healthy knee, which allows the bones to move and glide smoothly against each other. Osteoarthritis damages and wears off the cartilage resulting in the creation of a rough surface. When the cartilage wears unevenly, it leads to the narrowing of the space between the tibia and femur, resulting in the knee bowing inward or outward. Orthopaedic surgeons may perform an osteotomy during surgery for the following reasons:

• To delay the need for joint replacement surgery in younger, active people.
• Repair or fix other specific bone issues.
• Relieve pain from osteoarthritis, especially in the knee and hip
• Repair a damaged joint
• Shorten or lengthen bones
• Correct the alignment of a deformed or unjoined joint
• Correct the angle, bowing or rotation of the bones
• Shift the weight from a damaged area of a joint to an area where there is more normal or healthy cartilage.

What does an osteotomy entail?

During the procedure, the orthopaedic surgeon will make an incision on your knee and use guide wires to help him outline the area of the bone that needs to be removed. The surgeon will use a special surgical saw to remove the outlined area of the bone. The gap in the bone will be closed by bringing the bone edges together. A plate or implant may be used and secured in place with pins, screws, staples, plates or rods in order to realign the bone as it heals.