Osteotomy and Paget's disease

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Osteotomy and Paget's disease

Osteotomy ("bone cutting") is a procedure in which a surgeon removes a wedge of bone near a damaged joint. This shifts weight from an area where there is deformed or damaged bone to an area where there is more or healthier bone. In Paget's disease, bone tissue breakdown and rebuilding frequently occurs in the long bones—such as legs—often resulting in a bowlegged appearance. However, this procedure is not commonly used for these bones.

Osteotomy may be effective for hip and knee joints. An osteotomy is often done to correct bowleg (varus) and knock-knee (valgus) deformities of the knees. Hip osteotomy involves removing bone from the upper thighbone (femur ). Osteotomy may allow an active person to postpone a total joint replacement for a few years and usually is reserved for younger people.

After an osteotomy, you may need to undergo physical therapy. It may take up to one year for the joint to fully adjust to its corrected position.

Credits

Last updated:	September 14, 2007
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC