Based on the results of your interview, examination, and imaging studies, you can expect a custom care plan catered specifically to you.

Many people believe it’s best to wait until pain becomes severe, leading them to “push off” or delay treatments like alignment correction and reconstruction in Kansas City.

If you are in constant discomfort, have shooting or stabbing pains, have a limited range of motion, or an inability to perform your daily activities, alignment/deformity correction treatments may be right for you.

New technologies allow patients with knee malalignment or deformity issues to fully recover and enjoy the benefits of a more functional, pain-free lifestyle.

Prior to surgery, you will typically receive at least 2 phone calls:

• A hospital registration representative will call to gather insurance and other personal information.
• A registered nurse will call to review your health history and medication information.

Dependent on your health history, your physician may require:

• Pre-surgical laboratory tests
• X-rays
• Primary care clearance

Pre-operative instructions will vary depending on your physician and the location of your surgery.

Always check with your physician before surgery for specific instructions.

Most physicians require that patients not eat or drink after midnight prior to surgery.

Additionally, you will need to designate a family member or friend to drive you home on the day you are released from the hospital. Surgical patients cannot drive themselves home.

If you schedule your surgery with a KCOA physician, you can expect the following on surgery day: 

• A receptionist will check you in at the hospital registration desk.
• A nurse will take you back and prepare you for surgery. They will start an IV, prepare the surgical site, and review your medical history and medications.
• Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will visit with you prior to your operation.
• The surgical team will take you to the operation suite for surgery.

If conservative treatments aren’t enough to heal the issue, a surgical procedure may be necessary to properly alleviate symptoms and restore function. In the case of alignment and deformity issues, one of the surgical treatments offered by surgeons at Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance is a knee osteotomy.

A knee osteotomy is the cutting of bone to correct the knee’s alignment and improve its function with the goal of reducing chronic arthritis knee pain. Knee osteotomy is an option for patients who have unilateral knee arthritis, meaning there is damage on just one side, or “compartment,” of the knee joint.

The goal of the surgery is to correct the alignment by restoring a more normal knee position. This will shift some of the pressure away from the painful, damaged side of the knee joint and more evenly distribute it across the entire knee surfaces.

There are two common types of knee osteotomies. A high tibial osteotomy, which is a reshaping of the top of the shin bone, and a femoral osteotomy, which is a a reshaping of the bottom portion of the thigh bone.

During a high tibial osteotomy, your surgeon will either add or remove a wedge of bone to an area at the top of the tibia (shin bone). Our surgeons perform this specific procedure to help patients who are bow-legged.

A femoral osteotomy is similar, except it involves correcting the alignment by removing bone from the bottom of the femur (thigh bone). A femoral osteotomy is most commonly utilized when a patient is suffering from a knock-knee. Both procedures help patients alleviate their symptoms and restore function to the area.

The benefit of a knee osteotomy procedure is the fact that all parts of the knee, including the ligaments, can remain intact and maintain a natural feeling and a full range of motion.

A patient’s recovery plan and timeline will vary based on a variety of factors, including age, activity level, goals, and more.

However, taking care of your body will be essential to ensure optimal results from your correction procedure.

Following your procedure, patients will likely experience swelling, bruising and possible numbness in the treatment area.

Rest and ice will be critical immediately following surgery. Your provider may also provide you with pain medications, crutches, a brace, and more.

Full recovery after knee osteotomy can potentially take up to 18 months as your knee regains its strength. However, many patients can walk without an assistive device (crutches/walker) within 6 to 12 weeks.