High Tibial Osteotomy Surgery

arthriticknee | Mar 17, 2010 |

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A high tibial osteotomy is an operation performed to change the alignment of the knee. This is often required when osteoarthritis leads to one half of the knee becoming worn as it takes the majority of the bodyweight. This leads to a deformity that progresses over time. If the inside of the knee is becoming worn the deformity is described by doctors as Varus but is commonly called bow-legged. When the outside of the knee is worn the resultant angulation is medically called a valgus deformity but colloquially labelled knock-kneed.

The goal of a high tibial osteotomy is to restore even weight bearing between the inside and outside of the knee. It achieves this by adding or removing a wedge of bone from the upper part of the shin bone, or tibia. It does not make the worn part of the joint surface better, it merely aims to decrease the workload done by this area by offloading it.

This is the reason why a high tibial osteotomy is often seen as a transitional operation. It does not treat the arthritis but prevents the need for more major surgery (such as joint replacement) in those considered too young for such an operation. It is frequently used for those with early onset osteoarthritis as a way of buying them valuable time before a knee replacement becomes necessary.

Recovering from a high tibial osteotomy is a long process. As the main weight bearing bone of the lower leg is cut, weight cannot be taken through the affected leg for an extended period. The rehabilitation following a high tibial osteotomy is similar to, but actually much longer than a total knee replacement.

A high tibial osteotomy is not an operation that is suitable for everyone. It plays a role in the treatment of younger people with unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee. If you think you may benefit from such a procedure, discuss your individual circumstances with your orthopedic surgeon.