High Tibial Osteotomy
Osteotomy means “cutting of the bone.” It is a surgical procedure performed to change the alignment of the lower limb. The change in alignment will reduce and transfer the weight from the worn out part of the joint to a less worn or healthy part of the joint. This is done by creating a controlled fracture, either in the tibia or occasionally in the femur bone of the knee joint.
Knee osteotomy has three goals
- To transfer weight from the arthritic part of the knee to a healthier area
- To correct poor knee alignment
- To prolong the life span of the knee joint
High tibial osteotomy involves cutting and then reshaping of the tibia so that the weight-bearing part of the knee is shifted from the degenerative or worn tissue onto the healthier tissue. This procedure can be performed in conjunction with other joint preservation procedures to allow early repair of the tissue without being subjected to excessive pressure.
Indications & Ideal candidate for Tibial Osteotomy
- Younger, thin and more active patients with pain resulting from instability and mal-alignment of the knee joint
- Arthritis localized to one area of the joint
- Early-stage osteoarthritis
- Knee ligament instability
- Cartilage damage in the knee joint
- Pain on only one side of the knee, and no pain under the kneecap
- Knee pain associated with activity, as well as standing for a long period of time
- Knee that can be fully straighten and bent at least 90 degrees
Advantages of Tibial Osteotomy
- Decreases the pain associated with arthritis
- Improves joint mobility & functioning
- Slows the progression of arthritis
- Prolongs the life span of the knee joint
- Delays the need for a joint replacement for several years
- No restrictions on physical activities after an osteotomy like high impact exercise
- Improves quality of life of the patient
- Improvement following osteotomy lasts for 10 years or more