Osteotomy for arthritis in young patients

Osteotomy is a type of surgery that can offer relief to patients suffering from bone deformities or misalignments. In his latest online article, renowned consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Syam Morapudi offers his expert insight into this procedure. He explains what the procedure entails, who qualifies as a suitable candidate and the advantages of the procedure.  

What is an osteotomy? 

Osteotomy (which literally means an opening in the bone) is surgery to correct deformity and to restore alignment. In patients who are too young to have knee replacement surgery for knee arthritis and who have significant deformity, osteotomy surgery is an excellent option. This surgery helps to offload the affected part of the joint and help relieve pain.

Could you elaborate on what the procedure entails?

Depending on the deformity and the part of the joint affected in the knee, the surgery is done either above or below the knee joint. This involves making a cut in the bone, opening at the cut and fixing it with a plate and screws to achieve the desired correction. 

Who qualifies as a suitable candidate for osteotomy?

The ideal candidate for osteotomy is a young, active patient up to the age of about 55 who has arthritis affecting one part of the joint. The patient should be a non-smoker, of average weight and should not have had any significant bone problems that would affect bone healing. 

What are the advantages of choosing osteotomy, particularly for younger, more active patients?

Young and active patients who choose to have knee replacement surgery are at a risk of failure of the implants in a few years, and there is a need for a second or a third replacement surgery. 

This second or third replacement could have a higher risk of complications with less-than-ideal outcomes. Osteotomy surgery is an ideal option for this group of young patients.  Knee biomechanics and pain relief are possible with osteotomy, without the need for a full joint replacement.

Can you share insights into the success rate of this procedure?

The surgical procedure is usually very successful with 80% of the patients gaining up to 10 years before requiring replacement surgery.

How would you classify the invasiveness of osteotomy?

The osteotomy surgical procedure is a moderately invasive with a risk of some complications.  The surgery takes about 45 minutes to an hour.   

Mr Syam Morapudi is a renowned consultant orthopaedic surgeon based in Greater Manchester & Macclesfield. If you would like to book a consultation with Mr Morapudi you can do so today via his Top Doctors profile.