Raymond was diagnosed with post-traumatic medial knee osteoarthritis, therefore he was a suitable candidate for a surgery known as a high tibial osteotomy. HTO is an orthopaedic surgical procedure aimed to correct misaligned knees. It is usually indicated for those patients who have early-stage osteoarthritis and damaged articular surfaces on one side of the knee joint.
If the patient is physically active and has osteoarthritis with a deviation of the mechanical leg axis at the expense of the tibia, both, knee replacement or HTO is possible.
In the case of HTO, the patient’s native joint remains, only the load points are changed by unloading the injured side. After the surgery and fully healed, the patient can fully weight-bear without restrictions. Later, if the osteoarthritis progresses, knee replacement might be needed. In such a case, the patient should be well-informed of the possibility and be prepared for it.