Many patients are discouraged by the word “osteotomy”, but the results are quite good, with less trauma, quicker recovery, less bleeding, and stronger post-operative activity. Today, what is knee surgery?
Why do I have “O” shaped legs?
The knee joint is one of the largest and most complex weight-bearing joints in the body. In middle and old age, the cartilage of the joint surface often wears out, resulting in knee pain and limiting the function of daily life. “The “O” shaped leg means that the force line of the lower limb mainly relies on the medial side of the knee joint, therefore, osteoarthritis of the knee often occurs first on the medial side of the knee joint. This can seriously affect the quality of life.
How and where to cut?
The surgical incision is made on the medial side of the knee joint, and a stable bone surface is artificially cut at a suitable location on the lower leg bone. Because the surgery does not affect the joint, the stability and mobility of the knee joint will be preserved to the greatest extent possible (Figure below). In simple terms, it corrects the O-leg and straightens the leg. The surgery provides significant pain relief and gait improvement, and ultimately restores the function of the knee joint for daily activities.
A high tibial osteotomy reduces the pressure on the medial knee, thus creating an environment suitable for the regeneration of the medial cartilage of the knee. Knee preservation surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that only cuts a slit in the bone so there is no bone removal and is a good surgical option for patients with medial knee articular surface wear with O-leg deformity. If the patient has persistent, definite medial knee pain, has significantly shorter range of motion than their peers, and obtains imaging confirmation, it is recommended that the patient have surgery as soon as possible to preserve as much normal knee function as possible and ultimately obtain a better recovery.
What are the benefits of knee preservation surgery?
1. The surgery is simple, preserves the original knee joint and reduces pain.
2, The surgery technique is mature, minimally invasive, does not remove any bone, and the bone in the osteotomy area heals quickly.
3, Two days after surgery, you can partially weight-bearing to the ground, fast recovery, until the bone healing of the osteotomy area, can meet the strong activity needs.
4. 70-80% of patients no longer need to undergo total knee replacement after knee preservation surgery.
Can computers assist doctors in knee preservation surgery?
Computerized 3D reconstruction can help doctors make more accurate preoperative planning. With the various parameters of osteotomy in mind, doctors can be more comfortable during surgery, achieve more efficient and minimally invasive knee preservation surgery, ensure the accuracy of the lower limb force line, and ensure effective and long-lasting surgery. Currently, computer-assisted surgical treatment is being accepted and used by orthopaedic surgeons, and hopefully will bring more accurate treatment to the majority of patients.
1.Osteotomy planning in X-ray film (osteotomy angle, target position, etc.)
2.Individualized guide plate design
3.Pre-operative simulation of surgery
4.Post-operative measurement of surgical results
Although osteotomy and knee preservation surgery is good, it also has certain indications. We generally recommend this surgery for patients under 65 years old with valgus deformity angle greater than 5°.