hi glen,

i haven't had an osteotomy.  but, in view of what your friend said about
his, i think i would ask my surgeon whether or not this osteotomy was going
to be a "permanent" fix or not.  based upon his experience, it does sound
like osteotomy just buys a little more time and will allow arthritis to do
more damage in the intrum, though i could be wrong.

it sounds to me like you'd be a candidate for the tkr procedure (and might
be a candidate for the less invasive tkr procedure), because of the
cartilage damage, though i'm not a doctor.  maybe your doctor's thinking
your age might be a factor (if you are young), and it shouldn't be.

is it possible that this particular surgeon of yours doesn't do a lot of
total knee replacements, because he specializes in sports injuries?  if you
think that's the case, then get a second opinion from an orthopod who does
do a lot of tkr's (at least a hundred or so a year).  and if he says a tkr
is a good option, then consider him doing the surgery because of his ongoing
experience with the procedure.

ummmm . . . is this "second opinion" surgeon, you've scheduled an appmt.
with,  a different surgeon than the one who originally did the osteotomy on
your friend?   personally, i wouldn't go to a surgeon (even for a second
opinion) who's patient isn't satisfied with the result of his surgery the
first time.

kate

To all,

I have been seeing this well known highly recommended sports clinic
surgeon( bay area ) who has scheduled me for an osteotomy for my
worsening knee and pushed hard that this is a bettter option than
total knee at this point.  I have no cartilage on one side of the
joint etc and lots of pain from the patella being all chewed up. So
I'm trying to get my head around breaking bones and the whole business
of this seemingly traumatic surgery when i run into a guy that had one
and now three years later is having the total knee.  He was clear in
his opinion that his osteotomy experience was awful  the results less
than hoped for, and the total knee  recouperation  (in his sixth week)
far superior so far. He is only one person; however, I am unable to
find any good reviews on this knee osteotomy procceedure. I am really
spooked  and have made an appointment to see this fellows surgeon for
a second opinion. I sure wish someone out there could reply with some
first hand experienc of the osteotomy( knee, wedges,p.t. etc.) and how
this went for them.

Thanks glen

Glen wrote:

Let's see.......osteotome:  a chisel beveled on both sides for cutting
through bone.

osteotomy:   the operation of cutting through a bone.

Will yours be a cuneiform osteotomy?              linerar osteotomy?

Have you obtained a 2nd opinion?       A 3rd opinion?

At this stage, I can't imagine NOT having a TKR.  Has this doctor every
performed a TKR?   Is osteotomy the only thing he ever does (maybe because
he isn't educated/trained/experienced with TKR)?

... Epitaph:  MOSES -- Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Listen to him.   Listen to him very hard.  Listen to him very close.

You're up against a TEMPORARY fix that eventually will lead to a TKR.  Why
not get the PERMANENT fix done in the first place?