KNEE ARTHRITIS - Changing the forces through the joint :

Questions about an osteotomy?? - - Posted by jeraboa (jeraboa), 26 August 2003

Hi-

My husband is 38 years old.  He had a PCL reconstruction in 11/01 following a car accident.  He has always been very active up until the accident.  He continues to try and be active, but pays for it afterwards due to pain.  He has continued to have problems and in fact, is getting progressively worse.  His knee buckles and he has constant pain.  He can't do anything beyond sedentary activity without difficulty.  He just returned to the OS and had repeat xrays and an MRI.  MD is recommending an osteotomy.   (His problem is medial only and he has been told this is to delay a total knee.)  We return to the MD to make a decision in a couple of weeks but I have some questions I would like answered now if anyone can help.

My questions are:

1.  Is this normally an outpatient procedure or is there a hospital stay?

2.  MD told my husband he would be full duty in about 8 weeks.  Has anyone on this board ever been full duty in 8 weeks?  (his employer will not allow him to return to work until he is full duty- their policy)

3.  Is there a bone graft for this surgery or do they use hardware after the realignment?

4.  What causes the bone to be out of alignment?  He isn't otherwise "knock-kneed or bow legged"- so how does the bone become "crooked" for lack of a better word?

5.  Are there any other procedures that would be possible other than such an invasive surgery as this?

6.  How big is the incision usually?  Is this arthroscopic?


Thanks very much in advance for your help.

Jeraboa
Posted by lam651 (lam651), 26 August 2003

Hi Jeraboa,
I had a high tibial ostetomy almost 2 yrs. ago. This sounds like what you are referring to. Mine didn't heal so I had another surgery in Mar. to redo it. So,I can't use my experience to answer all of your questions, as far as my experience goes, but I can answer some of them.

A HTO is a big surgery that usally requires about 2 or 3 days in the hospital. The recovery time is long. I don't know how much pain a person typically still has trying to do everything they did before after eight weeks. My bones haven't healed right so that wouldn't have worked for me.

Some times bone grafts are done, it depends on the doctor and the procedure.
In time I became obviously bowlegged. My cartiledge was gone on the insides of my knees from arthritis.
I don't know if there would be a less invasive procedure that would help your husband. You'd have to ask a doctor. A procedure called uni-spacer might work for him. Maybe you need to see another doctor and get a second or third opinion.
My incision is about 6 inches long. It isn't arthoscopic.

If your husband does decide to have an osteotomy, make sure the doctor is experienced in this type of surgery.
Good luck, Larry

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