Knee Osteotomy
Knee Osteotomy Surgeon
Are you experiencing pain and stiffness in your knee? If so, you may have arthritis in your knee. A knee osteotomy is generally reserved for patients who have damage on just one side of the joint. Knee osteotomy surgeon, Dr. Nikhil Verma provides diagnosis and both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for patients in Chicago who have developed knee arthritis. Contact Dr. Verma’s team today!
Knee Osteotomy Overview
Arthritis of the knee affects millions of individuals and can make everyday activities difficult. Arthritis is generally caused by degeneration of the knee’s cartilage, a previous injury or trauma to the knee or a hereditary predisposition, leading to pain, swelling and stiffness in the knee joint. If a patient suffers from osteoarthritis and is not a candidate for total knee replacement or a patient wants to prolong the replacement, a knee arthritis treatment called a knee osteotomy may alleviate pain and improve function. Dr. Nikhil Verma, orthopedic knee surgeon treating Chicago, Westchester, Oak Brook and Hinsdale, Illinois patients, is extremely well trained and experienced in treating osteoarthritis of the knee with a variety of surgical procedures, including knee osteotomy.
A knee osteotomy is a surgical procedure typically reserved for patients who have damage on just one side of the knee joint. During this procedure, Dr. Verma will cut either the tibia (shin bone) or femur (thigh bone) and then reshape the bone to relieve pressure on the joint, leading to decreased pain and increased function. While highly effective, this knee arthritis treatment is not a permanent solution and but is designed to offer improvement to the symptoms of knee joint arthritis including pain and functional deficits, and delay the need for total knee replacement, often by 8-10 years.
During this knee arthritis treatment, Dr. Verma will remove a wedge of bone from the upper tibia or lower femur which will shift the body’s weight off the damaged area and onto the healthier portion of cartilage. Dr. Verma may also perform an opening wedge osteotomy where he utilizes plates and screws to hold the knee bones in a newly aligned position, as well as adding bone graft to the osteotomy for faster healing.
Are you a candidate for a knee osteotomy?
There are two ways to initiate a consultation with Dr. Verma:
- You can provide current X-rays and/or MRIs for a clinical case review with Dr. Verma ($250).
- You can schedule an office consultation with Dr.Verma.
Recovery and Rehabilitation after Knee Osteotomy
Although commonly performed as an outpatient, some patients may require an overnight stay in the hospital following an osteotomy. In some cases the procedure may be combined with other procedures to replace or restore the knee cartilage. Outpatient care includes a physical therapy program to control swelling, reactivate muscles and increase range of motion. The majority of patients are non-weight bearing on crutches for approximately four to six weeks following the knee arthritis treatment. Patients will progressively be weaned off crutches after six week mark after a thorough review of X-rays. Patients can expect a substantial increase in knee function at approximately four to six months after surgery in most cases.
For additional information on knee arthritis treatment, or to learn more about knee osteotomy, please contact the office of Dr. Nikhil Verma, orthopedic knee surgeon serving the Chicago, Westchester, Oak Brook and Hinsdale, Illinois communities.
