Your operation

Osteotomy surgery involves cutting and re-aligning the bones around
your knee. In so doing the surgeon redirects your weight-bearing axis
from the damaged area to a healthier part of your knee - effectively
offloading the diseased area. In this example the arthritis is present as
a narrowed gap between the bones on the inside of the knee:

When the surgery is performed the weight-bearing axis (green line) is
redirected across the knee:

The most commonly performed osteotomy is a gap which is opened at
the top of your shin bone (tibia):

Occasionally your surgeon may recommend an osteotomy at the end of
your thigh bone or in a minority of cases, an osteotomy to both bones.

Your leg will be repositioned and the bone is fixed in place with an
internal device (this is usually a metal plate and held with screws.) The
device is left is your body for long enough for your bones to heal in the
newly corrected position. Once the bone has healed the device may be
removed.