Limb Alignment Surgery
Arthritis can develop when the bones of your lower limb do not line up properly. This can put extra stress on either the inner or outer side of your knee. Over time, this extra pressure can cause pain and stiffness. Osteotomy literally means “cutting of bone”. An osteotomy is an appropriate surgical option in selected cases of arthritis affecting one side of the knee only. By realigning the leg, the body weight is transferred onto the undamaged part of the knee. This will lead to decreased pain in the joint.
Depending on the pattern of arthritis and which part of the joint this involved (inside or outside), an osteotomy can be done either in the thigh bone (femur) or shin bone (tibia). If adequate correction is achieved through this realignment surgery, the success rate can range from 80-90% at 10 years. Those patients who fail to achieve such long term relief, usually obtain at least a few years of relief and then may progress to joint replacement surgery.
The goal of realignment surgery is to reduce pain and to allow a return to usual activities. We at SOASIS use computer navigation technology and patient specific instrumentation to achieve the desired correction for the osteotomy.
Your surgeon will assess your suitability for osteotomy and discuss all treatment options at the time of your consultation.
