Knee Osteotomy

What is a knee osteotomy?

If your knee joint is painful due to a focal articular cartilage lesion and misaligned, Dr. Ramkumar may recommend a knee osteotomy to relieve pain and restore function. It’s a surgically controlled fracture that cuts, realign, and fixes the knee bones with metal plates and screws in a more favorable position that slows or prevents future wear without replacing your joint. Over time, the cartilage cushioning the knee joint can wear away, leading to pain, stiffness, and widespread arthritis. However, candidates who benefit from osteotomies are typically under age 50 with large but focal cartilage disease. The osteotomy is meant to help the joint last longer. Once the bones are back in place, the joint moves as intended. Dr. Prem Ramkumar, knee osteotomy surgeon, is located in Long Beach and serves patients in Los Angeles, Orange County, and surrounding Southern California areas.

Who is a candidate for a knee osteotomy?

While not everyone is a good candidate for a knee osteotomy, if your legs are misaligned but you’re active and under 50 years of age with a painful cartilage lesion, you will likely have a positive outcome from the procedure. Remember, each case is different, and Dr. Ramkumar will make knee osteotomy recommendations based on your diagnosis.

What is a high tibial osteotomy?

A high tibial osteotomy (HTO) treats a misalignment between the tibia and femur in the knee joint. It’s typically performed on patients with bow-leggedness and knock knees, who have excess pressure on either the inner (medial) part of the joint. Dr. Ramkumar makes an incision into the inner tibia (shin) near the knee joint. He then moves the tibia into the proper alignment, reducing excess pressure on one side of the joint. Plates and surgical screws help secure the area around the bone cut. This procedure allows the tibia to swing into a more valgus, or straightened, position.

What is a distal femoral osteotomy?

A distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) is another knee osteotomy used mainly to treat a misalignment caused by knock knees. This malalignment leads to excess weight on the outside (lateral) portion of the knee joint. During surgery, Dr. Ramkumar will make a partial cut into the outer femur near the knee joint. He moves the leg into a more neutrally aligned – or straighter – position, so body weight is more evenly distributed across the knee. Again, surgical plates and screws keep the bone in place.

What is the recovery like after a knee osteotomy?

After surgery, the knee is braced, and you will be sent home with crutches to use for approximately 6 to 8 weeks while you remain limited weight bearing to allow the bones to heal.  You will continue physical therapy, which begins in the hospital, to increase strength, stability, and range of motion. Osteotomy can be painful initially, full recovery from knee osteotomy can be expected in about 6 to 8 months.