Best alternative to knee-replacement

Hyderabad: It is estimated that many young and middle-aged women and men with bowlegs or knock knees opt for knee replacements at an early stage in their lives which would not have longevity beyond 10 or 15 years. Osteotomy is the best-suited alternative to knee replacement to re-gain an active lifestyle. Here, the joint is preserved and patients can even get back to active sports and or heavy work.

To help create increased awareness of Osteotomy, Udai Omni Hospital organised a one-day conference on the subject in the city on Sunday. Known as 'cutting of a bone,' osteotomy is a surgical technique used to correct deformities by realigning the bones of the leg to ensure the pressure on the damaged joint is relieved.

The bone (either the femur or the tibia) is cut, the alignment is corrected, the gap is filled with a bone graft and supported by metal plate, and this process is often seen as once in a lifetime solution for their problems. This procedure can also be done in teenagers and young people who have deformities around their knees. This ensures that these youngsters do not develop arthritis at a young age.

Commenting on the importance of osteotomy, Dr Udai Prakash, Director & Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Udai Omni Hospital, and chairman of the conference, said: "Though Osteotomy procedure was being practiced for long, the techniques have evolved a great deal in the recent years.

The evolution of this procedure with accurate imaging of the bone, and advanced CT scans, now enables surgeons to plan an osteotomy surgery within a fraction of a millimetre. The advanced surgical instruments and modern-day implants ensure accurate bone fixation, to help yield lasting results."

The advanced treatment protocols now guarantee that the patient who undergoes osteotomy will be able to bear their own weight on the knee joint within a short span of 24-hours of realignment. The patients can walk early, get back to their daily routine in a short duration of time; and because the joint is preserved, most patients can return their active life including that of sitting on the floor, squatting, playing sports in just 6 weeks.

The conference was attended by over 200 orthopedic surgeons, gained deep insights into the deformity correction practices around the knee and about the modern techniques available in India. Eminent national and international orthopedic surgeons performed live surgeries from the Udai Omni Hospital to demonstrate the surgical advancements in field of osteotomy.

What is osteotomy?

Known as 'cutting of a bone,' osteotomy is a surgical technique used to correct deformities by realigning the bones of the leg to ensure the pressure on the damaged joint is relieved. The bone (either the femur or the tibia) is cut, the alignment is corrected, the gap is filled with a bone graft and supported by metal plate, and this process is often seen as once in a lifetime solution for their problems. This procedure can also be done in teenagers and young people who have deformities around their knees. This ensures that these youngsters do not develop arthritis at a young age