HTO (High Tibial Osteotomy)

Osteotomy is an operation which changes the alignment of the lower limb. This is most commonly done for arthritis which is localized to one area of the joint. This is done by creating a controlled fracture, most commonly in the tibia (shin bone) just below the knee, or occasionally the femur (thigh bone) just above the knee. The alignment of the knee can thus be altered, and by doing this the weight on the worn part of the joint is decreased, and is transferred more to the less worn areas. Occasionally, this can also be utilised to treat knee ligament instability, or in association with surgery to repair cartilage damage in the knee joint. Example of one such osteotomy is the proximal slope altering osteotomy. Increased posterior slope is a risk factor for recurrent ACL ruptures. Altering(decreasing) the posterior slope before reconstructing the ACL is sometimes preferred. Below is a video for the surgical technique for performing this osteotomy.

The main goal of osteotomy is to change alignment, in order to decrease the pain associated with arthritis and thereby improve function, as well as slow the progression of arthritis. It is usually done for patients who are younger and more active than those requiring knee replacement.

Dr Hazratwala performs this surgery using computer navigation thus making the end result and outcome very predictable.