What is Osteotomy?
An osteotomy is an elective surgical procedure, performed under general anesthesia, in which a bone is cut or a portion is taken out in order to fix a bad bone alignment, to shorten or lengthen the bone, or to correct damage due to osteoarthritis. An osteotomy is needed when a bone has healed badly or crooked, or when a deformity is caused by disease or disorder. There are several deformities that can be corrected by an osteotomy: among them hallux velux, a deformity of the big toe; coxa vera, a deformity of the hip; genu valgum, commonly known as “knock knees”; and genus varus, in which the legs are severely bowlegged. Osteotomies are commonly performed on patients who have experienced a break that has healed crookedly, or has grown slower than the bones around it. Trauma to a growth plate can affect how a bone grows, and the results of uneven growth may require an osteotomy. Patients suffering from osteoarthritis may find that an osteotomy is a good alternative to a total hip or knee
