Yes, an osteotomy is a major surgery as an osteotomy involves cutting, reshaping, and realigning bones and an osteotomy often requires general anesthesia or regional anesthesia.
The things that make an osteotomy a major surgery include bone cutting and fixation, anesthesia, recovery timeline and rehabilitation.
During an osteotomy, surgeons cut the bone like the tibia or femur and secure it with metal plates and screws.
An osteotomy is also performed under general anesthesia or a spinal/epidural block.
And healing from an osteotomy also takes several weeks to months, and a hospital stay of 1 to 2 or more days is also common depending on the site.
Most people after an osteotomy also require crutches, braces, or casts initially, followed by structured physical therapy to rebuild strength.
An osteotomy is a surgical operation where a surgeon cuts and reshapes a bone to shorten, lengthen, or change its physical alignment.
The reasons why an osteotomy are done include:
Joint preservation: To shift weight away from a damaged or worn part of a joint (such as the knee or hip) to healthier cartilage, delaying the need for a joint replacement.
Deformity correction: To straighten bones that healed improperly after a fracture or to correct congenital alignment issues (like bowlegs or knock-knees).
Pain relief: To reduce abnormal stress and pressure on specific areas of a bone or joint.
Common Types of osteotomy include:
Knee osteotomy: Cuts either the shinbone (tibia) or thighbone (femur) to realign the knee joint.
Hip osteotomy: Reshapes the ball or socket of the hip to improve fit and weight distribution.
Jaw osteotomy: Adjusts the jawbone for bite or functional alignment.
Foot osteotomy: Relieves pressure points or corrects conditions like bunions (hallux valgus).